Durgapur: A student from Odisha, pursuing medicine at a private medical college in West Bengal’s Durgapur, was allegedly raped inside the campus on Friday evening.
Her ordeal brings to mind the chilling rape and murder of a PG Intern at the state-run R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata in 2024.
According to the police, the survivor who is in the second year, hails from Jaleswar in Odisha. She is pursuing her MBBS degree at the private medical college located near Shobhapur in the industrial hub of Durgapur, located about 170 km from the capital Kolkata.
The student apparently stepped out of the campus around 8.30 pm on Friday with a male friend when she was attacked near the campus gate. The accused allegedly dragged her to a secluded area behind the hospital and raped her.
Police reached the spot after receiving a call and launched an investigation. The student has been admitted to a hospital for medical examination.
The police are now questioning staff of the medical college and others who may have been present near the place of occurrence. The survivor’s friend is also being questioned.
Her father, who rushed to Durgapur on receiving the news, told reporters that he was informed of the incident by his daughter’s friend.
“When I reached there, my daughter was in a serious condition, and there was no response from the hospital administration,” he alleged.
He said that his daughter had gone outside the campus to eat ‘phuchka’ (golgappas) after one Wasif Ali, her friend, called up and asked her to meet.
“When she reached the campus gate, around four to five persons were there. One of them raped her, took her mobile phone, and demanded Rs 3,000 to return it. Later, the boy who had gone with her brought her back,” he said.
“I want justice for my daughter so that such incidents do not happen to any other girl. There is no proper security on the campus,” he further alleged.
However, police are yet to issue an official statement in the case. Sources said the investigators are examining multiple angles to chart the sequence of events.
The incident comes at a time when the ruling Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal is facing opposition heat over a string of rape cases and crimes against women in the state.
In July, a law student was gangraped inside her college in Kolkata, allegedly by a leader of the Trinamool Congress’ students’ wing.