Has Bengal Police Detained a Suspect in the Girl Gangrape Case?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Gang-rape incident raises serious safety concerns.
- Police have detained a friend of the victim as part of the investigation.
- Health department demands a report from the college.
- Protests by students highlight the need for improved security measures.
- Family of the victim is concerned for her safety.
Kolkata, Oct 11 (NationPress) The West Bengal Police took action on Saturday, detaining a friend of a second-year medical student from Odisha, who was reportedly gang-raped outside a private medical college and hospital in Durgapur, located in West Burdwan district, according to officials.
In response, the state health department has requested a report from the private medical college authorities.
Principal Secretary Narayan Swarup Nigam stated that the report is anticipated by Sunday morning, and subsequent actions will be based on its conclusions.
As per police reports, the student had left the campus with a male companion for an evening snack around 8:30 p.m. on Friday when a group of young men on motorcycles began to follow them and made inappropriate comments.
The men allegedly forced the friend away, dragged the student to a nearby forested area behind the campus, and gang-raped her, also taking her mobile phone and discarding it.
The male friend returned with others from the college and discovered the injured student lying on the ground. She was taken to a local hospital, where police confirmed she is a resident of Jaleswar, Odisha.
A complaint from the college led the Durgapur New Township Police to initiate an investigation, but no arrests have been made thus far.
DC (East) of Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissionerate, Abhishek Gupta, commented, “The investigation is ongoing. We will keep the public informed if new information arises. Given the sensitive nature of the case, we are approaching it with care, considering all factors.”
The victim's family has expressed serious concerns for her safety. Her father stated, “My daughter is not safe here. I will not allow her to continue her education here anymore. I will take her home.”
In the meantime, students staged a protest within the college campus, accusing officials of negligence in maintaining security.
Local CPI(M) members also demonstrated outside the campus, while BJP leaders united in condemning the incident.
Archana Majumdar, a member of the National Commission for Women (NCW), voiced her outrage, attributing the incident to systemic failures in West Bengal.
She remarked, “Incidents of sexual assault and rape are on the rise because perpetrators are not apprehended or punished swiftly. We have not seen rapists or murderers receive the ultimate punishment here. Justice is delayed due to unseen influences.”
Majumdar referenced the RG Kar Medical College case from August of last year, where a post-graduate trainee's body was discovered in a seminar hall, igniting nationwide protests.
The sole convict, Sanjoy Roy, received a life sentence, but the CBI has not yet completed its investigation into the broader conspiracy surrounding the crime.