Durgapur Gang Rape: Three Persons Arrested, Mamata Charges Private College Security, BJP Calls for her Resignation
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Oct 12: Even as the police arrested three persons and detained one in connection with the alleged gang rape of a second year medical student from Odisha outside the campus of a private college in Durgapur, the West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s shocking comment holding the private colleges responsible for the safety of their students drew sharp response from the opposition BJP demanding her resignation.
The identities of the three arrested accused were yet to be disclosed by the police but said one person was detained suspecting his role in the incident. “We arrested three persons in connection with the case this morning. They are being questioned. This is a very sensitive case and we will give out further details later,” a police officer said. Sources in the police said that the mobile phones of the three accused were also seized.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi condemned the alleged gang rape and urged his West Bengal counterpart Ms Banerjee “to take exemplary action against the accused as per the law.” The second-year medical student, from Jaleswar in Odisha, was allegedly gang raped on Friday night by some unidentified men outside the private medical college campus in Durgapur in which she was studying. She is currently undergoing treatment at a nearby hospital.
In social media ‘X’ post, Mr Majhi said, “the unfortunate incident of gang rape involving an Odia student in Durgapur, West Bengal, is highly condemnable and painful. I am deeply shocked upon hearing this news.” “In this sensitive matter, I strongly urge the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to take exemplary action against the accused,” he said.
In shocking remarks in the aftermath of the MBBS student’s gang rape, Ms tried to shift the responsibility of students’ security to private colleges and questioned how the 23-year-old student managed to leave the campus late at night. “She was studying in a private medical college. Whose responsibility is it? How did she come out at 12.30 at night?” she asked in her first remarks to the media after the incident. The Chief Minister described the incident as “shocking” and added that Bengal police were taking all necessary steps.
On Sunday the police cordoned off the crime spot in a jungle adjacent to the Paranaganj Kali Bari cremation ground, he said. Massive search operations were being carried out in the villages in and around the private medical college in Durgapur, the officer said, adding that drones were also used to conduct searches in the jungles in the area.
The incident took place outside the campus of the private medical college in Durgapur on Friday night when the second-year student went out with one of her friends for dinner. The woman’s parents, who rushed to Durgapur from Odisha, lodged an FIR with the New Township police station.
The health condition of the survivor was stated to be “improving” as she is undergoing treatment at the private college and hospital where she was studying, the officer said, adding she has given her statement to the law enforcers. “The three accused were traced through the mobile phone tower dumping method. More people could be involved in the crime, and searches are underway.
“We are also trying to find out whether these people were known to the survivor or her friend with whom she had gone outside the college. Her friend’s role is also under scrutiny,” a police source said. The accused persons had used the survivor’s mobile phone to call another accused to the crime spot, he said, adding that it helped them identify the mobile phone numbers of all the accused.
Meanwhile, the father of the survivor requested the state administration to take strict measures to punish the culprits. “I will request the state government to take strict steps to ensure that girls and women in West Bengal are safe. I suspect that the friend who accompanied her outside was involved in the crime. Who knows? I have been requesting the police to take proactive steps so that other accused are nabbed,” he said.
Multiple raids were conducted on Saturday in the areas adjoining the private college to nab the accused. Forensic experts also collected evidence from the jungle where the incident took place, he said. Representatives of the West Bengal Commission of Women were likely to visit the college during the day and speak to the survivor and her parents.
Representatives of the West Bengal Doctors’ Forum (WBDF) and Abhaya Manch would also be visiting the college later in the day. They condemned the gang rape of the MBBS student, WBDF president Dr Kaushik Chaki said.
The incident has triggered political mudslinging between the ruling Trinamool Congress and opposition parties. Speaking to an Odia news channel, victim’s father regretted that no assistance was forthcoming from West Bengal administration to give justice to his daughter. “Had it been Odisha government, the swift action would have followed,” he said.
Mr Majhi’s comment came just days after Ms Banerjee accused BJP of perpetrating communal violence in Cuttack. She had said Bajrang Dal was trying to destroy communal harmony in Cuttack. West Bengal CM’s statement did not augur well with BJP government in the State. Prithiviraj Harichandan, Odisha Law Minister, said Ms Banerjee had the habit of defaming Odisha and its culture.
“Students staying in hostels, especially those who have come to West Bengal to study from outside the State, are expected to follow the rules of the hostels. They should avoid venturing out late at night, although they have the fundamental right to go wherever they want, Ms Banerjee commented.
“But the police have certain logistical limitations in monitoring the movement of every individual. Officers would not know who is leaving home at night and cannot stand guard outside every home,” she said. Banerjee said the institution of which the woman is a student also bears responsibility for the incident. “Private colleges must ensure security within and around their campuses,” she said.
The BJP has said the Bengal Chief Minister was blaming the victim instead of ensuring justice in sexual violence cases. “Shameless @MamataOfficial a blot on womanhood, even more for being a CM. After RG Kar and Sandeshkhali, now this horrific case and instead of justice, she blames the victim!” BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said in a post on X.
“A Chief Minister who tells girls not to go out at night, rather than ensuring their safety, has no moral right to stay in office. People now realise they have reposed faith in an anarchist, heartless Mamata. She must resign and be held accountable under law.”
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said the Bengal Chief Minister “blames the beti (daughter) and defends the Balatkari (rapist). “Time & again: RG Kar, Sandeshkhali, Park Street – this has been done,” Poonawalla said, referring to Banerjee’s controversial statements in the past. “Will the outrage lobby who was shouting yesterday – Supriya Shrinate, Priyanka Vadra, Rahul Gandhi etc open their mouths now?” he asked.
Shocked by the incident, the woman’s father has said he would take her back to Odisha and that he was concerned about her safety in Bengal. “My daughter is in pain. She can’t walk right now. She is bedridden. I am concerned about her safety here. They could kill her here any moment. That’s why we want to take her back to Odisha. Trust has been lost. We don’t want her to stay in Bengal. She will pursue her education in Odisha,” the heartbroken father has said.
He has also said Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has reached out to him. “The Odisha Chief Minister has spoken to me. The administration is helping us,” he said, adding that he has requested that his daughter be given admission in an Odisha medical college.
