Durgapur gang-rape accused sent to 10-day custody; BJP holds protest

Kolkata, October 12 (IANS) A court, on Sunday, sent three youths involved in the gang-rape case in West Bengal's Durgapur to police custody for 10 days.

The arrested persons were produced before the Durgapur Sub-divisional Court.

The judge ordered the accused persons to be remanded in police custody for 10 days.

The accused allegedly snatched the mobile phone and Rs 5,000 from the bag of a medical student while torturing her.

According to police sources, the mobile phone of the girl has been recovered from the arrested persons.

Police sources also claimed that they have found direct evidence against the three arrested persons.

Meanwhile, a forensic team reached the crime spot and collected the evidence.

The arrested persons in Durgapur gang-rape case have been identified as Seikh Reajuddin, Apu Bauri and Firdos Seikh.

The police are looking for two other accused persons and started a search in this regard.

On Friday, the second-year medical student from Odisha, was allegedly gang-raped outside the campus in Durgapur after she went outside with her male friend for dinner.

According to the police, the medical student had stepped out of the campus with a male friend for dinner when a group of young men on motorcycles accosted them and passed objectionable remarks at them.

The men allegedly chased away the male friend, dragged the medical student to a forest area behind the campus, and gang-raped her.

The accused also snatched the victim's mobile phone and threw it away.

The male friend returned with others from the medical college and found the injured medical student on the ground.

She was taken to a local hospital where she is undergoing treatment.

A complaint was lodged at the Durgapur New Township Police against five persons.

After the incident came to light, the police detained the male friend of the medical student and started questioning him.

According to police sources, Deputy Magistrate Ranjana Roy also spoke to the medical student and recorded her statement.

According to police sources, after arresting the three accused persons, they were presented before the male friend of the victim.

The classmate of the medical student identified three of the accused persons.

The victim was also shown the photographs of the three accused.

Police sources claim that she also identified the three accused.

Meanwhile, the father of the Durgapur rape victim appealed to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to allow him to take his daughter back to Odisha, saying her safety is at risk in the state.

"My daughter is in pain. She can't walk right now. She is bedridden. I am concerned about her safety here. They could kill her here any moment. That's why we want to take her back to Odisha. We don't want her to stay in Bengal. She will pursue her education in Odisha," he told media persons.

The West Bengal Doctors' Forum called the incident a chilling reminder that women remain unsafe even within educational institutions and demanded justice for the victim and a judicial inquiry into the matter.

The members of the outfit along with representatives of 'Abhaya Mancha' also visited the hospital in Durgapur where the victim is receiving treatment.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, including Locket Chatterjee, were stopped from visiting the hospital in Durgapur.

After being stopped by the police, the BJP leaders held a protest outside the hospital, fought with the police personnel and asked why they were not being allowed to meet the victim.

Chatterjee asked why the police were inside the hospital.

"This hospital building is called 'Emergency' building, but it is closed. It is supposed to remain open 24 hours. The police are inside due to the Chief Minister's instructions. Why should the police be inside? The doctors are outside, the police are inside. Mamata Banerjee's rule is going on here. A Taliban or Pakistan-like rule is going on here," she said.

--IANS

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