A horrific gang-rape case involving a 23-year-old second-year MBBS student from Jaleswar, Odisha, at a private medical college in Durgapur, West Bengal, has unleashed a political maelstrom. The incident, occurring on October 10 near IQ City Medical College and Hospital, saw the survivor attacked around 7:58 PM while fetching food with a male classmate. Three assailants—Sheikh Reajuddin, Apu Bauri, and Firdos Sheikh—allegedly overpowered her in a wooded area behind the campus, stole her phone, and fled after the assault. The victim, found injured by peers, is stable and receiving treatment. Her family’s FIR at New Township police station has led to the arrest of the accused, now in 10 days’ police custody, but the case has escalated into a flashpoint, with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders blocked from meeting the survivor and clashing with police at the hospital.

BJP leaders, including former MP Locket Chatterjee and MLA Agnimitra Paul, arrived at the Durgapur hospital on October 12 to meet the survivor but were stopped by police, who had sealed the gates of the 24/7 emergency ward. In a heated exchange captured on video, Chatterjee questioned the state’s intentions, stating, “The building is labelled ‘Emergency’, but it is closed... Because of the Chief Minister’s instructions, the police are inside.” She accused the Mamata Banerjee-led government of shielding perpetrators, referencing the 2024 RG Kar rape-murder case where public outrage failed to yield justice until CBI intervention.

“Without evidence, what can the CBI do... the criminal will be let off,” she warned. Paul intensified the attack, likening Banerjee’s administration to Afghanistan’s Taliban, condemning the CM’s claim that the victim was out at 12:30 AM. “CCTV footage shows she went out at 7:58 PM... Mamata Banerjee, please don’t lie,” Paul retorted, accusing the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of protecting rapists for 2026 election gains.

Banerjee’s remarks on October 12, suggesting that “girls should not be allowed to go outside (college) at night” and must “protect themselves,” have drawn fierce backlash for victim-blaming. Citing a nearby forest area and a recent Odisha beach rape case, she questioned, “How did she come out at 12:30 AM?” and urged private colleges to ensure student safety. The comments, made in Kolkata, were slammed as regressive by BJP leaders.

Paul countered, “After 12 AM, women shouldn’t go out? Doctors, nurses, IT workers shouldn’t do their duty? This Taliban mentality is shameful.” Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar called Bengal a “safe haven for rapists,” while BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya demanded Banerjee’s resignation, arguing her words implied women invite assault by stepping out at night. The controversy has reignited memories of RG Kar, where millions protested systemic failures in handling gender-based violence.

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The police response has been swift but contentious. Following drone-assisted searches, the three accused were apprehended within 24 hours, and forensic teams are analyzing CCTV and crime scene evidence. The male classmate accompanying the victim is under questioning, with the family suspecting his involvement. Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi vowed full support, coordinating with West Bengal authorities, while the National Commission for Women dispatched a fact-finding team.

Local protests, led by students and residents, have besieged the college, demanding better security, with reports of the principal being gheraoed. The West Bengal Doctors’ Front called for a judicial probe, citing institutional lapses, while TMC’s Shashi Panja urged against politicization, noting the family’s trust in the ongoing investigation. Social media on X has amplified the outrage, with hashtags like #JusticeForDurgapurVictim trending alongside calls for accountability.

As West Bengal grapples with yet another high-profile assault case, the Durgapur incident exposes deep-seated issues of campus safety and political accountability. With the 2026 elections looming, the BJP’s aggressive narrative paints the TMC as complicit in crime, while Banerjee’s remarks have alienated urban voters and women’s groups. The survivor’s family, devastated, has questioned why a medical college lacked basic security, with the father stating, “No parent should endure this pain.” As investigations continue and protests swell, the case risks becoming a defining moment in Bengal’s fraught socio-political landscape, demanding not just justice but systemic reforms to protect women in a state haunted by recurring horrors.

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