Durgapur rape case: Survivor’s friend arrested, sixth detention so far

The survivor, a second-year MBBS student from Odisha studying at IQ City Medical College in Durgapur’s Shivapur area, was allegedly raped on October 10 after stepping out of the campus with her friend.

According to the survivor’s father’s complaint, the friend had “misled her and took her to a vacant place under false pretexts.”

The woman was then allegedly taken to a nearby forested area, where the assault occurred.

On Tuesday, before the friend’s arrest, Asansol–Durgapur Police Commissioner Sunil Kumar Choudhary said that five people had already been arrested, whose presence was confirmed at the crime scene.

Police also recovered the mobile phone that had been snatched from the survivor.

“Till now, as per the technical and scientific evidence collected and the statement of the woman, we have found that physical sexual assault has been committed by one accused. The involvement of all five accused is being investigated,” Choudhary said.

The commissioner had earlier remarked that the friend’s “role was not beyond doubt.”

“The friend of the woman, who was also present at the place of occurrence, his role is also not beyond doubt. We are investigating his role. He has been examined several times,” he added.

Later in the evening, police confirmed the friend’s arrest. Officials said he had been taken to the scene of the crime multiple times for questioning before being taken into custody.

According to investigators, the woman and her friend had stepped out for dinner on the night of the incident. Police said the probe into the sequence of events and the roles of all the accused is continuing.

Durgapur Horror

Officials said a 23-year-old student from Jaleswar in Odisha, studying at IQ City Medical College in Durgapur’s Shivapur area, was allegedly raped after being taken to a deserted spot about a kilometre from the campus on Friday night.

The woman had gone out with a male friend when a group of men approached them near the college gate, took her away, and raped her before fleeing.