The case was filed on Monday night by the victim’s mother under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act at Banaripara Police Station. According to the complaint, the alleged incident took place on Sunday afternoon, when the teenager went to bathe in a pond at around 3pm.
At the time, her mother had gone to a plot of land beside their home to tie up their cattle. When she returned, she found that her daughter was not in the house. She began searching for her and eventually went to a neighbouring resident’s home.
According to the case statement, the mother found her daughter there and witnessed the alleged assault by Simon. She raised the alarm, prompting local residents to rush to the scene. The suspect then fled, according to the complaint.
Following the filing of the case, police began efforts to locate and arrest the accused. Investigators subsequently traced him to the Ashulia area, where a joint operation led to his arrest on Tuesday evening.
The arrest came within a day of the formal complaint, allowing police to take the suspect into custody before he could evade the investigation for longer. He was later presented before a court in Barishal and sent to jail on Wednesday morning.
Confirming the developments, Banaripara Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Mজibুর Rahman said the victim had been rescued and sent to the One-Stop Crisis (OSC) Centre at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital in Barishal for a medical examination.
The OSC Centre provides a dedicated setting for victims of violence to receive medical care and related support. Such facilities play an important role in addressing the immediate needs of survivors while helping ensure that appropriate medical procedures are followed.
The case has drawn attention to the particular safeguarding needs of children and teenagers with disabilities, who may face additional barriers when seeking protection or reporting abuse. Prompt access to medical services, support from trusted adults and an effective police response are important in such cases.
Police have confirmed the arrest and the transfer of the victim for medical examination. The allegations against Simon, however, remain subject to investigation and judicial proceedings. He must be presumed innocent unless and until his guilt is established in court.
