Durgapur rape survivor discharged from hospital, to remain in state for probe

Durgapur: The second-year medical student from a private medical college in Durgapur, West Bengal, who was allegedly raped last week, has been discharged from hospital on Friday. However, authorities have said she must remain in the state for the ongoing police investigation.

It remains uncertain whether she will stay at her college hostel or find rented accommodation in Durgapur during this period.

Her father had earlier stated that he planned to return to Odisha with his daughter and would not return to West Bengal. He also said he had requested Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to help transfer his daughter to a medical college in their home state, and Majhi had reportedly assured full support.

Meanwhile, a team of forensic experts revisited the forested area where the alleged assault occurred on the night of 10 October. Police sources said the investigation is continuing to determine whether the incident qualifies as a case of rape.

So far, six individuals, including a student from the same college, have been arrested. Investigators have reportedly found inconsistencies in the statement of the victim’s male friend, who was with her on the night of the incident.

The case has sparked controversy after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee remarked that women should avoid stepping out at night. She claimed the victim had left the campus at 12:30 a.m., while the college administration maintained she had exited around 8 p.m.

The police continue to examine all angles as part of the ongoing probe.

The assault case, which took place outside a private medical college in Durgapur’s forested area, has drawn widespread attention across West Bengal and Odisha. The survivor, a 20-year-old second-year MBBS student, had been hospitalised for treatment and counselling.

After being discharged on Friday, she was informed that her presence in Durgapur was required for police questioning and identification procedures. Senior officials have confirmed that forensic teams have been deployed multiple times to collect and analyse evidence from the crime scene.

Police have detained six suspects and are reviewing CCTV footage from areas surrounding the college and forest path. A senior officer stated that “contradictions in witness accounts” were being carefully verified.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s comments triggered public outrage, with opposition leaders and women’s rights groups calling them “insensitive” and “victim-blaming.”

The Odisha government has expressed willingness to facilitate the student’s transfer to an institution within the state once the investigation concludes.
(With IANS inputs)