West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has faced criticism for her remarks regarding the gang rape case at Durgapur Medical College. In a media briefing on Sunday, Banerjee urged private medical colleges to limit students, especially women, from being out late at night. She questioned how the survivor, a second-year medical student, was outside the college campus around 12:30 am, which is the reported time of the assault. However, the victim’s parents stated they were notified of the incident around 9:30 pm on Friday, indicating it occurred significantly earlier. The parents, who traveled from Jaleswar in Odisha, reported that their daughter was taken to a nearby forest and assaulted after being followed by a group of men.
They claimed that her friend, who had joined her for dinner, fled when they were chased. While expressing her shock over the incident, Banerjee stressed the responsibility of private institutions to ensure student safety, particularly for female students, and to prevent them from going out at night. “They have to protect themselves also,” she remarked. Police investigations are currently in progress, with three suspects arrested so far in connection with the assault.