Bhubaneswar: October 12
Within 36 hours of the incident, West Bengal Police arrested three individuals in connection with the alleged gang-rape of an Odia medical student of a private medical college in Durgapur, Paschim Bardhaman district. The Durgapur Police Commissioner stated that further interrogation is ongoing to clarify the sequence of events and identify any additional suspects.
Initial findings indicate the survivor, a second-year MBBS student from Jaleswar in Balasore district, left campus with a male friend to get food when four to five men allegedly followed them. The men reportedly attacked the pair, separated the survivor from her companion, and committed the assault before fleeing.
The Durgapur Police Commissioner has spoken with both the survivor and her friend, who remains under police questioning. Investigators are reviewing CCTV footage and interviewing college security staff and witnesses.
The incident prompted large protests on the Durgapur medical campus on Saturday, with hundreds of students demanding swift arrests and improved safety measures for women.
The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo motu cognisance of the case and sent a special team to Durgapur to meet the survivor and monitor the progress of the police investigation.
The survivor’s father, who arrived in Durgapur on Saturday, stated that hospital authorities have not provided assistance or information since the incident.
He expressed frustration on Saturday, stating that the family had not received information and accused the West Bengal government of inaction. He also claimed there have been attempts to divert attention from the case and alleged receiving threats to his life.
The survivor is currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Durgapur and is reported to be in stable condition. Medical teams from both West Bengal and Odisha are monitoring her recovery. A special team from Balasore that visited the hospital on Saturday noted a gradual improvement in her health.
