Durgapur, West Bengal, October 14, 2025: The investigation into the alleged assault of a 23-year-old medical student near her college campus in Durgapur has taken a crucial turn, with West Bengal Police citing contradictions in testimonies, medical reports, and surveillance evidence as the reason for questioning her male classmate and later ruling out a gangrape scenario.

The woman, a resident of Jaleswar in Odisha and a student at IQ City Medical College, had filed a police complaint after stepping out with a male classmate to visit a roadside eatery on the evening of October 10. Initially, her father also mentioned that classmates had contacted him around 9:30 pm, alerting him to the situation.

Contradictory Statements

Investigating officers at the Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissionerate revealed that the survivor’s statements evolved over time, raising discrepancies in the accounts of what transpired that night.

• In her initial medical statement, the student reportedly said that three men were involved and only one committed the assault.
• Later, in her formal statement to police, she alleged that five men had dragged her into a forested area and gangraped her.

A senior police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said:

“In her initial statement to the doctor, she mentioned three persons and only one perpetrator. We have the record as well as the medical reports. The later claim of five individuals dragging her to a forest raises serious questions about the consistency and accuracy of her statements.”

CCTV Footage Contradicts Later Account

Further complicating the investigation, college security camera footage appears to contradict the survivor’s later version of events. The video shows the student returning to the campus calmly, with her clothes intact, walking alongside her male classmate, and without seeking assistance from security personnel stationed at the campus gates.

A second police officer explained:

“When a woman is dragged through a jungle by five men and gangraped, there is usually visible evidence. The college authorities provided CCTV footage showing her return. She walked calmly, her clothes appeared intact, and security personnel were present at the gates. She did not seek help.”

Phone and Alleged Theft

The survivor had claimed that after the assault, the alleged culprits used her phone to call her friend, and demanded ₹3,000 for its return, while also taking ₹200 that she was carrying. Police confirmed that her mobile device was later seized from one of the suspects arrested on Sunday.

Arrests and Legal Proceedings

So far, five suspects have been remanded by a court in police custody: Sheikh Safiqul, Sheikh Nasiruddin, Apu Bauri (21), Firdous Sheikh (23), and Sheikh Riazuddin (32). All are residents of nearby villages and have been charged under Sections 70(1) (gang rape) and 3(5) (criminal act with common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Police clarified that the arrests were based primarily on phone call records and circumstantial evidence, as the survivor had not named anyone in her initial complaint.

Meanwhile, the male classmate, who accompanied the survivor to the dhaba, is being questioned as part of the ongoing probe. His father had included him as a suspect in the complaint along with five unidentified individuals.

The police have also stated that none of the five arrested men have prior criminal records, highlighting that the investigation is primarily focused on establishing the facts surrounding the alleged incident.

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