Durgapur Rape Case: Police Rules Out Possibility Of Gangrape; Survivor's Friend Arrested — Key Developments

Durgapur: West Bengal Police on Tuesday, October 14, claimed that no gangrape took place in the Durgapur case and arrested the survivor’s male classmate the same evening.

The 23-year-old medical student from Odisha had alleged that she was gangraped near her college campus on October 10. Investigators now believe only one person was involved, contradicting earlier reports that five men assaulted her. Here are 10 key developments in the case so far:

1. Survivor Alleges Assault on October 10

The second-year medical student was allegedly assaulted outside the campus of a private medical college in Durgapur, in a forested area where she had gone with a male friend for dinner. The incident reportedly took place around 8:00 pm, sparking outrage across West Bengal and Odisha.

2. First Arrests Made

Following the survivor’s complaint, five local residents were taken into custody on October 12 and 13. They were identified as Sheikh Safiqul, Sheikh Nasiruddin, Apu Bauri (21), Firdous Sheikh (23), and Sheikh Riazuddin (32), all from nearby villages.

3. Contradictions in Statements Emerge

Police later found inconsistencies in the survivor’s and her friend’s statements. Initially, she told doctors that one person had assaulted her while three were present. In a subsequent statement to police, she claimed five men dragged her into a forest and gangraped her. These discrepancies led to a review of the case.

4. CCTV Footage Contradicts Claims

Security footage from the college showed the survivor and her male friend leaving campus at 7:54 pm, the friend returning alone at 8:42 pm, and both coming back together at 9:29 pm. Police said she appeared calm, her clothes intact, and did not seek help from security guards.

5. Survivor’s Friend Detained

The friend, a resident of Malda, was initially detained on October 11 for questioning. His replies were described as incoherent by investigators, who later decided to arrest him formally after cross-checking evidence.

6. Police Reconstruction of Crime Scene

On Tuesday morning, police took the survivor’s friend and all five earlier arrested suspects to the forest area to reconstruct the alleged crime scene. The process was videographed and tallied against their statements. A forensic team also collected samples from the spot.

7. Commissioner Confirms Sole Involvement

Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissioner Sunil Kumar Choudhary told The Hindu that “only one person appears to have been involved” in the assault. He added that the classmate “is not above suspicion”, and that medico-legal reports of the accused are awaited.

8. Evidence and Investigation Findings

“Based on the evidence collected and the survivor’s statement, we found that one person committed the physical assault. The role of the other five is being determined through investigation,” Choudhary said.

9. Political Visits and Support

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi spoke with the survivor and her mother over the phone, assuring support. BJP MP from Balasore Pratap Sarangi visited the survivor at the private hospital in Paschim Bardhaman district but was briefly stopped by security before being allowed to meet her.

10. Protests in Kolkata

In Kolkata, BJP workers distributed red chilli powder to women, calling it a measure for “self-defence” amid what they described as a deteriorating law-and-order situation in the state following the Durgapur case.

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