Updated on: Oct 14, 2025 | 8:18 PM IST
West Bengal police have arrested five men in connection with the alleged gang rape of a 23-year-old medical student near IQ City Medical College in Durgapur. Four suspects were arrested on Sunday, and the fifth, Sheikh Safiqul, was arrested on October 13. All five are residents of local villages.
Names and Details of the Suspects
- Sheikh Safiqul – Arrested on October 13, produced before the Durgapur court.
- Sheikh Nasiruddin – Arrested late Sunday and produced along with Sheikh Safiqul.
- Apu Bauri (21) – Sent to police custody by the court on Sunday.
- Firdous Sheikh (23) – Sent to police custody by the court on Sunday.
- Sheikh Riazuddin (32) – Sent to police custody by the court on Sunday.
The suspects have been charged under sections 70(1) (gang rape) and 3(5) (crime committed with common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), according to the remand petition.
How the Arrests Were Made
Police said the arrests were based on phone call records and circumstantial evidence, as the survivor did not initially name any suspects. Investigators also noted that none of the five men have prior criminal records.
The survivor’s male classmate, who accompanied her to a roadside eatery near the campus on the evening of October 10, continues to be questioned by authorities.
Investigation Updates
The survivor, originally from Jaleshwar, Odisha, is pursuing her studies at IQ City Medical College and was medically examined at the same hospital. Several discrepancies have emerged between her statements, her friend’s account, medical findings, and the suspects’ versions.
- Initially, she told a doctor that three men were involved, with only one assaulting her.
- Later, in her formal statement to police, she alleged that five men dragged her into a forested area and gang-raped her.
Her father filed the police complaint, naming his daughter’s friend along with five unidentified persons as suspects.
Additional Allegations
- The survivor alleged that the assailants used her phone to call her friend after the assault and demanded ₹3,000 for its return.
- They allegedly took ₹200 she was carrying at the time. Police later recovered the phone from one of the suspects.
- The incident occurred after 8 PM, and the father received a call from his daughter’s classmates around 9:30 PM.
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