Durgapur gangrape: 5 held; victim's father says WB under 'Aurangzeb's rule', Guv for 2nd renaissance

Kolkata/ Bhubaneswar | The alleged gang rape of a second-year medical student in West Bengal's Durgapur has sparked massive outrage, snowballing into a major political storm, with the survivor's father likening Bengal to "Aurangzeb's rule" and Governor C V Ananda Bose calling for a "second renaissance" to make the state safer for women.

The arrest of all five accused came amid growing political friction, as the ruling TMC, the opposition BJP, and even the government of the survivor's home state Odisha, sparred over the Mamata Banerjee administration's handling of the case and her remarks on women's safety.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) urged academic and institutional support for the survivor.

"With two more arrests this morning, all five accused have been taken into custody," said Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissioner Sunil Kumar Choudhary. "We are satisfied with the progress of the investigation and assure the parents that the culprits will not be spared."

The 23-year-old student from Balasore district was allegedly gang-raped near the private medical college in Durgapur on Friday night.

Police said five men attacked the woman and her male friend were attacked between 8 pm and 8.45 pm, snatched her phone when she tried to call for help, and took turns in raping her. The friend, who had fled the scene, is now under police detention for questioning.

Three of the accused arrested on October 12 were produced before the Durgapur Sub-Divisional Court and remanded to 10 days' police custody, while the two others, arrested on Monday, were sent to nine days' custody.

Meanwhile, the survivor's father said he had lost faith in West Bengal's law and order and wanted to take his daughter back to Odisha.

"She (CM) is also a woman. How can she (Mamata Banerjee) say such an irresponsible thing? Should women quit their jobs and sit at home? It seems Bengal is under the rule of Aurangzeb. I want to take my daughter back to Odisha. Her life comes first, her career later," he said.

His remarks came amid nationwide outrage over Banerjee's controversial statement that "female students should not step out late at night."

Banerjee had said, "I am shocked at what happened, but private medical colleges must take care of their girl students. They should not be allowed to go out at night." She later clarified that her statement was "distorted and taken out of context."

The remarks drew widespread condemnation from opposition parties, women's rights groups, and the Odisha government.

Banerjee's comment was "disappointing and insulting to all women", Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida said.

"A woman leader like Mamata Banerjee, who is known as 'Didi' (elder sister) and a female chief minister, has disappointed women with her statement that girls should not go out at night. Her statement has surprised not only me but also the four crore ninety lakh women of West Bengal. Her statement has astonished and insulted all women," she said.

Governor Bose rushed to Durgapur on Monday to meet the survivor and her family.

Expressing anguish, he said, "This is a very shocking incident, and it's not the first time something like this has happened. I cannot say with confidence that Bengal is safe. Bengal once led the renaissance of India. Today, it needs a second renaissance to make the state safe for the girl child. We must own responsibility and ensure justice is done."

Adding to the controversy, senior TMC MP Saugata Roy remarked: "Such cases are rare in Bengal. Women's safety here is better than most places. But girls should not go out late at night; police cannot be on every road," Roy said, backing the CM's remark.

The NCW has also intervened, expressing "deep anguish" and urging both the National Medical Commission and university authorities to ensure the survivor's academic safety.

In an 11-point directive, the NCW recommended that the victim be allowed to take special examinations to avoid academic loss and be given the option to transfer to another medical college if she feels unsafe returning.

"Justice delayed is justice denied. The survivor must receive the best medical care, and a fast-track trial should ensure exemplary punishment," NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar had said in the directive, which was shared by NCW member Archana Majumdar.

The panel also called for a security audit of the college, installation of CCTV cameras, and the setting up of a police outpost in the campus.

Meanwhile, the BJP began a six-day sit-in at Durgapur's City Centre, accusing the TMC government of "shielding perpetrators" and "destroying evidence."

Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari alleged that one of the arrested men was linked to the ruling TMC and was employed on contract by the Durgapur Municipal Corporation.

"The father of one accused holds a TMC portfolio. This is a clear case of political shielding. The arrests are eyewash; they will be out on bail in 20 days. This is a cover-up," Adhikari claimed, alleging that the survivor's family was being denied access to medical reports.

TMC's IT cell head Debangshu Bhattacharya dismissed the charge, saying, "Even if someone related to the accused is in TMC, that doesn't implicate the party. With nearly 50 per cent vote share, it's statistically normal that some individuals involved in crimes may be our supporters."

The Odisha State Commission for Women Chairperson Sovana Mohanty travelled to Durgapur to meet the survivor and her parents.