Family And Friends Shocked as Student Faces Alleged Assault in Durgapur

A 23-year-old second-year medical student from Odisha was allegedly raped by unidentified men outside her college campus in West Bengal's Durgapur late Friday night, police confirmed, marking another disturbing incident in a series of crimes against women in the state. The incident unfolded when the victim stepped out with a male friend for food around 9 p.m., only to be intercepted by assailants who chased them into a nearby forested area. An FIR has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, including rape and criminal intimidation, at the City Kotwali Police Station in Durgapur, with a Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to probe the case.

According to the victim's account, relayed through her family and police sources, the friend fled upon spotting three men following them near the campus of the IQ-City Medical College in Burdwan district. Left alone, the student attempted to escape but was overpowered and dragged into the woods, where two more men joined the group. One of the perpetrators allegedly assaulted her sexually, snatched her mobile phone, and threatened her life if she resisted or raised an alarm. She managed to return to the campus around midnight, where she confided in hostel mates before informing her family.

The student's mother, speaking to media outlets, recounted the harrowing details: "She went out to have food on her friend's request... Her friend abandoned her and fled. My daughter also started running but couldn’t trace her friend. When the three men found my daughter alone, they took her to a nearby forest area... One of them committed the crime."

Asansol-Durgapur Commissionerate Police, led by Additional Superintendent of Police Abhijit Biswas, have detained several suspects for questioning, including individuals spotted on CCTV footage along the route. "We are probing all angles... Footage from CCTV in nearby areas is being scanned," a senior officer stated, emphasising the role of the victim's missing phone in tracking the perpetrators via its last known location.

The investigation includes a medical examination at a government hospital, where initial reports confirmed injuries consistent with the assault. The friend's role is also under scrutiny, with police summoning him to clarify why he abandoned the victim—a detail that has drawn sharp criticism from women's rights activists demanding accountability.

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This assault highlights escalating safety concerns for female students in West Bengal's educational hubs, coming weeks after a contractual worker at a state-run hospital in Kolkata alleged rape by her manager, and a teacher was arrested in a Class 7 girl's murder case in Malda, where he admitted to dismemberment but denied sexual assault. Durgapur, an industrial city 150 km from Kolkata with a burgeoning medical education sector, has seen sporadic reports of harassment near campuses, prompting calls for better lighting, patrols, and women's helplines.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has sought a detailed report from the state, while student unions at IQ-City Medical College plan protests demanding stricter campus security and fast-track courts for such cases. As the probe intensifies, authorities assure swift arrests to restore public confidence in the region's safety net.

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