West Bengal Police Arrest Fifth Accused in Durgapur Medical Student Gangrape Case
The West Bengal Police on Monday arrested a fifth individual in connection with the alleged gangrape of a second-year medical student in Durgapur, taking the total number of arrests in the case to five. Earlier in the day, the fourth accused had been taken into custody.
The incident reportedly occurred on Friday night, targeting a student of a private medical college in Durgapur who hails from Odisha. Initially, three individuals were arrested and remanded to ten days’ police custody by a local court on Sunday.
A three-member delegation from the Odisha State Commission for Women, led by Chairperson Sovana Mohanty, will visit Durgapur to meet the survivor’s family and review the ongoing police investigation and medical care provided.
“We will check on her health and meet her parents. After inquiring about West Bengal’s medical treatment, her mental health, and the progress of the investigation, we will submit our recommendations to the State government,” Mohanty told news agency ANI. She also emphasized that the team would look into fast-tracking the case and the status of the remaining accused.
Bijiyani Singh, Senior Field Officer and Consultant for the Odisha State Commission for Women, added, “We will ensure that she gets proper medical treatment and justice. No one is above the law.” The team may also meet with investigating officers as part of their assessment.
The identity of the victim has not been revealed to protect her privacy, following Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual assault.
