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Journalism of Courage
In hours after the Asansol police registered an FIR into the alleged gangrape of a private medical college student in Paschim Bardhaman district on Saturday, they began search operations in the forested area surrounding the college campus, where the alleged crime took place. Drones were also used to search the area, and several people were detained.
The second-year MBBS student, who hails from Odisha, was allegedly dragged into a forested area outside her college campus and raped on Friday night by a group of three to four men after she had gone out with a friend. According to her family, the men took away her mobile phone and demanded Rs 3,000 to return it. Later, the friend who had accompanied her brought her back. The woman student is currently admitted to a hospital, and her condition is said to be stable.
Sources in the police said that the breakthrough in the case came from tracking the mobile phone location.
“One of the accused had called the student or her friend. We tracked that phone signal and located the cellphone tower. After that, we carried out a massive search operation and identified the three accused and arrested them,” said a police officer involved in the probe.
The three – identified as Apu Bauri (21), Firdous Shiekh (23), and Shiekh Riazuddin (32) – were remanded in 10-day police custody by a local court.
Police said the three accused, booked for gangrape and criminal, were residents of villages in the vicinity of the private medical college where the victim studied.
The mobile phone of the student has also been recovered from them, said police.
“We are further probing to see if any other persons were involved. Also, we are questioning the friend of the victim to find out if he had any kind of involvement,” said the police officer.
According to police sources, one more person has been detained and is being questioned.
“Three persons have been arrested, and further investigation is on,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Asansol) Abhishek Gupta.
While being taken to the court, one of the accused said that the allegations of rape were false. “There was no rape. That is all,” one of the accused shouted while being escorted by police.
Meanwhile, the lawyer of the student said that she has sought for identification parade of the three accused.
“We have moved an application in the court for the TI (Test Identification) parade and for the recording of the victim’s statement before the magistrate,” said her lawyer, Partho Ghosh.
“I met her (the woman student) in the hospital. She is stable now. She was able to narrate to me the entire incident,” the lawyer added.
NCW, state women police seek report from police
Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women (NCW) as well as the West Bengal Commission for Women (WBCW) have taken suo motu cognizance of the incident and sought reports from the police.
“A two-member team has been formed to meet the victim. A report from the police has been sought in 15 days. After getting the report, we will submit our recommendations. We have to look into why such incidents are happening, we have to know the exact situation over there,” Leena Gangopadhyay, the chairperson of the state commission, said.
The NCW has asked the West Bengal Police to submit an action taken report within five days.
On the other hand, West Bengal Principal Health Secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam said the Director of Medical Education has been asked to submit a detailed report from the private medical college.
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