Woman, kids jump in front of train

DHAKA (AP):

Bangladesh's High Court launched an inquiry yesterday into the deaths of a woman and two of her children who jumped under a train after villagers decided to ostracise her over allegations of an extramarital affair.

A group of influential villagers in Habiganj district voted on Sunday that Ferdousi Akhter, 35, should leave the community after she was accused of having an affair with a neighbour while her husband was working abroad.

Akhter took her four children aged eight to 12 and jumped with them in front of a train late Sunday, killing herself and two of the children, police chief Moinuddin Chowdhury said. The other two children were being treated at a local hospital.

The High Court said yesterday, it would summon Chowdhury and eight local officials and villagers to appear before the panel next Tuesday to give details of the incident and explain why it was not averted.

Human-rights groups have urged the government to crack down on such gatherings of prominent villagers who meet without formal authority for decisions known as arbitrations. Activists says these panels abuse their authority by meting out punishments.