Bharat Newz 24*7
Durgapur, West Bengal — In a swift and decisive response to the horrific gangrape of a medical student at a private medical college in Durgapur, police under the Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissionerate arrested all five accused within just 48 hours of the complaint being filed. The move comes after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s firm statement on Sunday, declaring “zero tolerance” toward crimes against women.
The investigation gained momentum immediately after the survivor lodged her complaint late Friday night at the New Township Police Station. The victim, a second-year medical student, alleged that she was dragged into a nearby forested area behind the college by a group of men and gangraped. According to her family, the attackers also snatched her phone and demanded ₹3,000, beating her mercilessly when she refused. She was later rescued in a severely injured condition by a friend and taken to a hospital, where she is now reported to be in a stable condition.
Police acted on the complaint with extraordinary speed. Within hours, search operations began across the Parangunj forest area near the medical college. On Sunday, the fourth accused was detained from the same region, and after thorough interrogation, he was officially arrested. By Monday, the fifth and final accused was tracked down and arrested based on his mobile tower location. He had reportedly been hiding at a relative’s home in Durgapur’s Gopalmath area.
Another suspect, identified as Nasiruddin Sheikh, a temporary employee of Durgapur Municipal Corporation, was arrested late Sunday night following an all-night interrogation. Later, police also nabbed Safikul Sheikh from Bijra, who had been in hiding since the incident. Both were booked under serious charges of sexual assault and criminal conspiracy.
According to police sources, all five accused will undergo DNA testing as part of the investigation process. Forensic teams have already begun collecting evidence from the crime scene. While police officials have refrained from releasing detailed information, they confirmed that multiple teams were deployed to trace the accused across the industrial town.
The police also detained one of the survivor’s classmates for questioning after inconsistencies were noticed between his and the survivor’s initial statements. Investigators are still probing whether he had any role in the incident or prior knowledge of the assault.
Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissionerate officials stated that their zero-tolerance policy against sexual violence guided their rapid action. The police believe that the swift arrests will ensure that the case reaches its conclusion quickly and justice is served.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, reacting to the incident, said on Sunday, “There will be no leniency in such crimes. The culprits will face the strictest possible punishment.”
This brutal crime has triggered widespread outrage across Bengal, with student organizations, civil society groups, and women’s rights activists demanding fast-track trials and harsher sentences for sexual offenders.
With all five accused now in custody and the DNA tests pending, the investigation is moving rapidly. Police officials have expressed confidence that the forensic results and evidence gathered so far will lead to a strong chargesheet soon.
The Durgapur case stands as a stark reminder of the growing demand for faster justice in crimes against women — and the authorities’ responsibility to respond with both urgency and sensitivity.
