Police have detained three people, including a bus driver and his assistant, over allegations of raping a college student overnight on a moving bus in Tangail Sadar.

Md Sharif, officer-in-charge of Madhupur (Elenga) Highway Police Station, told the media that the suspects were detained on Thursday afternoon (January 15) near the Karotia Underpass on the Dhaka–Tangail Highway after police grew suspicious of the bus’s movement.

He said the victim is currently at the office of the Superintendent of Police (SP), Tangail, where arrangements have been made to ensure her safety and privacy.

The detainees were identified as Md Altaf (25), the driver of the bus from Dinajpur Sadar; Md Sagar (24), the helper from Nagarkanda upazila of Faridpur; and Md Rabbi (21), a resident of Abdullahpara area under Habiganj Sadar.

According to police, the 26-year-old woman, a student of a Dhaka college, boarded a Savar Paribahan bus around 11:30pm on Wednesday (January 14) from the capital’s Radio Colony area, heading towards Ashulia. Two other passengers were on the bus at that time.

After the other passengers got off, the suspects allegedly confined the woman inside the bus, took away her mobile phone, cash and gold jewellery, and drove the vehicle to different locations, where she was sexually assaulted throughout the night, police said. The suspects also allegedly recorded videos of the incident.

The matter came to light when highway police found the bus standing suspiciously on the Dhaka-bound lane near the Karotia Underpass on Thursday afternoon. During questioning, officers searched the bus and found the woman inside the vehicle.

“Based on the victim’s statement, we detained the driver and his two associates and seized the bus,” Md Sharif told journalists.

Later, the victim, the seized bus and the accused were handed over to Tangail Sadar Police Station. Police there said a case was being filed in connection with the incident and the accused were being interrogated.

Further legal action will be taken following due process, police added.