2nd year medical student from Odisha gang-raped in West Bengal
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Kolkata: A second-year medical student from Odisha was allegedly gang-raped by unidentified men in West Bengal’s Paschim Bardhaman district, police said on Saturday.
The incident occurred outside a private medical college campus in Durgapur on Friday night when the student went out for dinner with a friend, according to her family. The victim, hailing from Jaleswar, Odisha, is currently undergoing treatment at a nearby hospital.
“Based on a complaint lodged by the family, we have initiated an investigation,” a police officer said.
The student’s parents told reporters that they arrived in Durgapur on Saturday morning after being informed of the incident by their daughter’s friends. The student’s mother alleged that her daughter was gang-raped around 10 pm on Friday after leaving the campus with a friend for dinner.
Her father added, “We lodged a complaint with the police this morning. We sent our daughter here because the college is reputed academically.”
An initial probe revealed that the student went outside the campus between 8 and 8:30 pm. According to police, her friend left her alone when three unidentified men arrived, snatched her phone, and took her to a nearby jungle where she was raped. The assailants reportedly threatened her and demanded money in exchange for her mobile phone.
The student’s statement has been recorded, and police are examining CCTV footage. A forensic team is scheduled to visit the site to collect evidence, the officer added.
A team from the National Commission for Women (NCW) is heading to Durgapur to meet the victim and her parents. NCW member Archana Majumdar said, “Crime against women is on the rise in Bengal. The police are not taking proactive steps in such cases. I will request the Chief Minister to take action to curb these crimes.”
Meanwhile, the state health department has sought a report from the private medical college. “We have asked for a quick report from the college authorities and will take necessary steps based on it,” a senior official said.
With PTI inputs