Kolkata: West Bengal Police on Saturday detained a friend of a second-year medical student from Odisha, who was allegedly gang-raped outside a private medical college and hospital in Durgapur, West Burdwan district, officials said.
The state health department, meanwhile, has sought a report from the private medical college authorities.
Principal Secretary Narayan Swarup Nigam said the report is expected by Sunday morning, and further action will be taken based on its findings.
According to police, the student had stepped out of the campus with a male friend for an evening snack around 8.30 p.m. on Friday night when a group of young men on motorcycles began stalking them and making lewd comments.
The men allegedly chased away the friend, dragged the student to a forested area behind the campus, and gang-raped her. They also snatched her mobile phone and threw it away.
The male friend returned with others from the college and found the injured student on the ground. She was admitted to a local hospital. Police confirmed she is a resident of Jaleswar, Odisha.
A complaint lodged by the college prompted the Durgapur New Township Police to begin an investigation, but no arrests have been made so far.
DC (East) of Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissionerate, Abhishek Gupta, said, “The investigation is ongoing. If new information comes in, we will inform the public. Given the sensitive nature of the matter, we are proceeding carefully, keeping all aspects in mind.”
The victim’s family has expressed concerns about her safety. Her father told the media, “My daughter is not safe here. I will not let her continue her education here anymore. I will take her home.”
Meanwhile, students staged a protest inside the college campus, accusing authorities of negligence in ensuring security.
Local CPI(M) workers also protested outside the campus, while BJP leaders joined in condemning the incident.
Archana Majumdar, member of the National Commission for Women (NCW), expressed outrage, linking the incident to broader systemic failures in West Bengal.
She said, “Sexual assault and rape incidents are increasing because culprits are not caught or punished promptly. We have not seen rapists or murderers face the ultimate punishment here. Justice is being delayed due to some invisible hands.”
Majumdar was referring to the RG Kar Medical College case of August last year, in which a post-graduate trainee’s body was found in a seminar hall, sparking nationwide protests.
The sole convict, Sanjoy Roy, was sentenced to life imprisonment, but the CBI has yet to complete its investigation into the larger conspiracy behind the crime.
(IANS)
