Kolkata: On Tuesday evening, West Bengal police apprehended the friend of the medical student who was a victim of rape, bringing the total number of arrests in the case to six. Authorities stated that one of the suspects committed the sexual assault, while the involvement of the others remains under investigation. The victim’s college mate, who resides in Malda district, was arrested after multiple rounds of questioning revealed significant inconsistencies in his statements, according to a senior officer. The second-year student, originally from Jaleswar in Odisha, was reportedly raped outside the private medical college in Durgapur on the evening of October 10.
Sunil Choudhury, Commissioner of Police for the Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissionerate, informed reporters, “The role of the victim’s friend is under scrutiny and he is not free from suspicion. We are conducting thorough interrogations with him.” Regarding the investigation’s progress, Choudhury noted that forensic experts have examined the crime scene and collected evidence samples. “We have recovered the victim’s mobile phone, which was taken from her, from one of the accused. The police have also seized the clothing worn by all six suspects for further analysis. We accompanied the accused to the scene to reconstruct the crime,” he explained.
Choudhury added that, based on the technical evidence and the victim’s testimony, the assault was perpetrated by one individual, and the investigation is focused on determining the involvement of others in this serious crime. The Commissioner mentioned that the police have yet to receive forensic and medico-legal examination reports, with many technical analyses still outstanding. In the meantime, the Calcutta High Court has instructed the police to prevent any unauthorized access to the private medical college and hospital in Durgapur, where the victim is receiving treatment. The court has also mandated sufficient security measures to maintain peace in the vicinity. Protests have erupted near the institute organized by opposition political parties in response to the incident.