West Bengal: Medical student gang-raped near private college
What's the story
A second-year MBBS student at IQ City Medical College in Durgapur, West Bengal, was allegedly gang-raped on Friday night. The 23-year-old Odisha native was reportedly accosted by a group of men while she was out with a male friend. According to her father, the friend fled during the incident and is suspected of being involved.
Ongoing probe
Police probing all angles
An investigation has been launched into the incident. Police are questioning college staff and the male friend who was with the victim at the time of the attack. CCTV footage is being reviewed to identify suspects. The survivor's father accused college authorities of negligence in security arrangements on campus. He said his daughter had gone out for food after being called by her friend, only to be dragged into a secluded area and raped by four to five men.
Health update
NCW team meets survivor, family
The survivor is currently undergoing treatment at a local hospital, and while her condition remains critical, she is deeply traumatized, according to The Indian Express. Meanwhile, a team from the National Commission for Women (NCW) has reached Durgapur to meet the survivor and her family. NCW member Archana Majumdar said, "Crime against women is on the rise in Bengal... I will request the chief minister to come forward and work in tandem to arrest the rise of such crimes."
Previous cases
Incident recalls other recent campus rapes
The incident has drawn parallels with other recent cases of sexual violence on college campuses in Kolkata. In July, a law student was gang-raped at South Calcutta Law College. A former student with alleged political connections, two students, and a security guard were arrested in connection with that case. Last August, a post-graduate trainee doctor was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, leading to nationwide protests.