An 18-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by three people while returning home from a programme in Debiganj upazila of Panchagarh on Sunday night.

Her 22-year-old aunt reportedly survived an attempted rape in the same incident.

The victim’s father filed a case with Debiganj Police Station on Tuesday night against three local youths -- Russel, Parvez and Biswajit -- and three unidentified persons, police said.

Inspector (investigation) Probir Kumar Sarkar of Debiganj Police Station confirmed the development today.

According to the case statement, the girl and her aunt had attended a cultural programme on Sunday afternoon. While returning home that night, they found the main gate of their house locked as family members had gone to a nearby location.

They then asked a man nearby to arrange a van to take them there. The man later returned with five others in a battery-run rickshaw van.

The complaint states that three of them forced the teenager into a house and allegedly raped her. At the same time, the other three allegedly took the aunt to the bank of the Karatoya River and attempted to rape her.

The aunt reportedly escaped by throwing sand into the attackers’ eyes and returned to the victim’s house.

The two women informed their family members the following morning. They were taken to Debiganj Upazila Health Complex and then shifted to Panchagarh Modern Sadar Hospital.

Police said medical examinations have been completed and steps are being taken to record the victims’ statements before a court. Efforts are underway to arrest the accused.