A woman has been tortured in medieval-style by her brothers-in-law in board daylight at the behest of a village arbitration meeting in Cumilla.

The incident was reported from Beksati village of Cumilla’s Daudkandi Upazila.

Locals said, on Jul 31, the brothers-in-law of Asma Akter, wife of expatriate Kabir Hossain, called one Alam of neighbouring Barpara village around 10pm.

They then confined Asma, a mother of four, and Alam to a room on the allegation of having an ‘extramarital affair’ and tortured the duo throughout the night.

The next day, the brothers-in-law called a village arbitration meeting where local Union Parishad Chairman Monir Hossain Talukdar attended.

At one stage, the brothers-in-law indiscriminately beat Asma and Alam after a local influential, Mintu Matobbar ordered to do so.

When asked UP Chairman Monir Hossain claimed that Kabir’s four brothers and a sister-in-law of together carried out the offence describing it a ‘part of their family affairs.’

Admitting Kabir’s brothers ordered to beat Asma, Hossain said, “Three of my UP members with the help of locals rescued the victims and arranged their treatment.”

The UP chairman, however, claimed that he ordered to take legal actions against the perpetrators.

Following the tragedy, victim Asma’s sister Nargis Akter sued five people with Daudkandi model police station making Saiful, elder brother of Kabir, the prime suspect.

The other accused were Babul, son of late Abul Hashem, Minto, son of Mobarok, Mostak, son of Barek Mia, and Shilpi, wife of Kabir's another brother Khokon.

“Police arrested prime suspect Saiful and Babul and are hunting down the rest of the accused,” said Daudkandi Model police OC Alamgir Hossain.