CU student sexually assaulted on shuttle train
The university authorities are trying to identify the perpetrators, said the proctor
A female student of Chittagong University said she was attacked and sexually abused by a presumed outsider on a moving shuttle train leaving campus on Thursday evening.
Chittagong University has transport services for students. Apart from bus service, students can travel to and from the campus by shuttle train.
The victim, a third-year student of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, said, "I got on the 3rd or 4th compartment of the shuttle train, scheduled to leave campus around 5:30 pm. There were two elderly men sitting in my bogie at the time."
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"However, the train was late in leaving and after a while the elderly men left the bogie to have iftar and did not return. Soon, two youths got into the bogie," she said.
"As they got on board, one of them approached me and flashed his cellphone torch light in my face and started asking strange questions like- where are you going, sister?" she said.
"I asked the youth whether he was a student or not, but he kept mum. The train left the station at 7pm. It was dark and the youth was walking around inside the compartment. After a while, he suddenly grasped my face and head, trying to put me down on the floor," she continued.
"As he grabbed me, I started screaming at the top of my lungs and tried to get away from him using my hands and elbows. Fearing for my life, I tried to retaliate as strongly as I could to free myself," she said.
"At one point in the scuffle, the attacker left me and quickly fled the compartment. The train was still moving then and I could not get a good look at his face," the victim said.
"I was in shock for the rest of the way home. Returning home, I discovered multiple scratches and bruises on my face and a sore throat. I am severely traumatized from the attack," she added.
Dr Shahidul Islam, acting proctor of Chittagong University, said, "I have heard about the incident and am trying to contact the victim."
The university authorities are also trying to identify the perpetrators but it will be difficult as the victim could not see their faces, he added.
