Mentally challenged girl kills self to end humiliation

The 16-year old mentally challenged girl burnt herself to death as she could not bear the social umbrage she was inflicted with.

Meneka of Pacharkura village under Gaibandah Sadar went out to graze her goats in the field on February 26. Three young men of the same village named Anisur Rahman, Pandit and Ratan Mia dragged her into a neighbouring wheat field and raped her one after another.

On her return, the dishevelled Meneka told her younger sister what was done to her, Meneka's mother Hasina Begum told The Daily Star. But that was hardly the end of Meneka's tragic story. Very soon the story of her getting violated spread across the village. She began to feel the curious looks of the villagers, who seemed keener to take pleasure out of her distressed situation than protest such beastly act.

A devastated and extremely offended Meneka angry could not take such offending behaviour for long. The next day she went to the nearby bamboo-bush, poured kerosene all over her body and then set fire.

By the time Meneka was rescued and taken to the hospital all her body was badly burnt. After going through unbearable pain for nine days she succumbed to her burn injuries at around 1.30 am yesterday.

One of the three accused was arrested after Meneka's mother lodged a case with the local police station.