Rangpur, Correspondent :Police arrested a couple here yesterday on charge of attempting to murder their teenage domestic help by burning her at home in Mulatol area in the city.After rescuing victim Purnima Rani Roy, 12, from Paglapeer area under Sadar upazila in the district yesterday, Kotwali Thana police has admitted her at Burn Unit of Rangpur Medical College Hospital(RMCH) in critical conditions. Officer-in-Charge (Investigation) of Rangpur Kotwali Thana said Purnima Rani is daughter of poor rickshaw puller Prabhat Chandra Roy of village Lohani Kochua under Gangachara upazila in the district.According to police sources, housemaster Sudhir Chandra Saha and his wife Popi Rani Saha tortured Purnima very frequently and did not provide her with adequate foods since engaging her as a domestic help at their house about a month ago.On Friday night, the couple mercilessly tortured Purnima on allegation of stealing and eating foods and at one stage, set fire after pouring kerosene on her body and critically injuring her by burning both hands and from neck to waist.Later, the couple shifted Purnima to Paglapeer area, about 18-kilometres off from the city, and started providing treatments using unqualified rural doctors when her condition further deteriorated.Knowing the incident, local people of the area informed the matter to the law enforcement agencies when Kotwali Thana police rushed there, rescued and admitted her to the RMCH.Kotwali police arrested the couple after Sub-inspector Mostafizur Rahman filed a case with Kotwali Thana accusing them in this connection yesterday.Attending physician Dr Maruful Haque at Burn Unit of RMCH told BSS that 17 to 18 per cent areas from hands and neck to waist of Purnima have been burnt and no comments could be made on her conditions before 24 hours of treatments. Police Super Abdur Razzaque told local reporters that police has started investigation into the case giving due importance.
