West Bengal Horror: MBBS student from Odisha sexually assaulted inside medical college premises in Durgapur
PTC Web Desk: In a disturbing incident that mirrors the 2024 RG Kar Medical College case, a second-year MBBS student from Odisha was allegedly dragged and sexually assaulted within the premises of a private medical college near Shobhapur in Durgapur, the state’s largest industrial hub, around 170 km from Kolkata.
According to police sources, the survivor had stepped out of the college campus with a male friend around 8:30 pm on Friday. As the two reached near the main gate, an unidentified man reportedly pulled her into a deserted area behind the hospital and assaulted her. On receiving information, the police arrived at the spot and launched an investigation. The survivor was later admitted to a nearby hospital for medical evaluation.
The police have begun questioning staff members, students, and others associated with the college, including the male friend who was accompanying her, to reconstruct the chain of events.
The student’s father, who rushed from Odisha upon receiving a call from his daughter’s friend, expressed anger over the college’s inaction. “When I reached there, my daughter was in a critical condition, and no one from the administration came forward to help,” he said.
He further alleged that his daughter had gone out to eat phuchka (golgappas) after being called by her boyfriend, identified as Wasif Ali. “When she reached the gate, four to five men were already there. One of them assaulted her, snatched her phone, and demanded Rs 3,000 to return it. Later, the boy brought her back,” he added.
The distraught father demanded justice, alleging that the campus lacked basic security measures. “I wanted my daughter to become a doctor, but now she’s fighting trauma. Such incidents must not be repeated,” he said.
While an official statement from the police is awaited, sources indicated that investigators are exploring several leads to determine how the accused managed to enter the hospital premises and whether the survivor knew him.
The case has reignited public outrage over the rising number of crimes against women in West Bengal and renewed criticism of the Mamata Banerjee-led government’s handling of women’s safety.
Just months ago, a female law student was allegedly gang sexually assaulted on the campus of South Calcutta Law College in Kasba, sparking widespread protests in Kolkata.
The latest Durgapur case also brings back memories of the horrific 2024 RG Kar Medical College incident, in which a 26-year-old postgraduate trainee was sexually assaulted and murdered inside the hospital campus, a crime that triggered nationwide outrage and weeks of demonstrations by doctors demanding safer workplaces.
- With inputs from agencies
