The father of a 23-year-old Dalit MBBS student, allegedly gang-raped in West Bengal's Durgapur, has urged the Odisha government to facilitate her transfer to a hospital in Bhubaneswar for continued treatment, citing grave threats to her life. The second-year medical student, hailing from Jaleswar in Balasore district, remains under care at a Durgapur facility following the brutal assault on Friday evening. Her parents rushed from Odisha upon learning of the incident, but the family now expresses deep distrust toward local authorities, alleging suppression of the case and inadequate protection.
The attack occurred around 8 PM when the survivor stepped out of her college campus with a male companion, who reportedly fled without raising an alarm, according to her father's account. Three assailants allegedly dragged her to a nearby jungle area and subjected her to repeated assault between 8 PM and 9 PM. The father, speaking to PTI from Durgapur, emphasised the timing to counter West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's controversial remark that "girls shouldn’t be out at night," which he dismissed as "completely false" and an attempt to downplay the incident. "This is an effort to suppress the truth. My daughter had not gone out at midnight—it was just 8 PM," he said, adding that the family feels "too frightened to trust anyone" in the state. He revealed he was hiding in Durgapur while his diabetic wife remained bedside, underscoring their precarious situation.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi assured support during a late-night phone call with the father on Friday, prompting a Balasore district team—including Additional District Magistrate Hemant Singh and District Social Welfare Officer Jyotsna Mohanty—to visit the hospital on Saturday. "The survivor's condition is gradually improving. We have assured the family that the Odisha government stands firmly with them. Necessary coordination is being maintained with the West Bengal Police," Mohanty stated. Singh noted satisfaction with the swift arrests of the three suspects by West Bengal Police within 36 hours, expressing hope for justice. The plea for transfer stems from fears that "they will kill my daughter", despite her stabilising health, highlighting interstate tensions in handling such sensitive cases.
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The incident has ignited political backlash, with BJP MP Pratap Sarangi lambasting the Banerjee government for a "complete breakdown" of law and order in West Bengal, where crimes against women have drawn repeated scrutiny. This case echoes broader concerns over campus safety for female students, particularly from marginalised communities, in medical institutions across India. As the family awaits relocation—potentially involving airlifting the survivor—the Odisha administration is coordinating logistics, emphasising victim-centric support. Investigations continue, with calls for a thorough probe to prevent recurrence and ensure accountability.
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