The investigation into the alleged gangrape case in Durgapur, West Bengal, has taken a new turn as the police announced on Tuesday that several contradictions have emerged. These discrepancies are reportedly present in the statements provided by the survivor, her friend, the medical records, and the statements of the arrested suspects. Furthermore, the police indicated that security camera footage appears to contradict later versions of the events.
Authorities recently apprehended a fifth suspect, Sheikh Safiqul, in connection with the alleged assault of a 23-year-old medical student on October 10th near her college campus.
Key Contradictions Emerge
Officers from the Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissionerate highlighted that the survivor, who is from Jaleswar in Odisha, initially told doctors that there were three assailants, with only one involved in the crime. However, her subsequent statement to the police claimed that five individuals had dragged her into a forest and gangraped her.
“In her initial statement to the doctor, the student mentioned three persons, with only one committing the crime. We have this record along with the medical reports. However, she later told the police that five individuals dragged her into the forest and gangraped her,” a senior police official, who wished to remain anonymous, told HT. This inconsistency has raised serious questions about the accuracy and consistency of the survivor’s statements, as noted in an earlier HT report.
CCTV Footage Poses New Questions
Adding another layer to the investigation, security camera footage from the college premises appears to contradict the survivor’s revised account of the incident.
Survivor Seen Returning to Campus Calmly in CCTV Footage
According to a second police official, the video footage shows the survivor returning to her campus with her friend. Her clothes were reportedly intact, and she appeared to be walking calmly, without seeking any assistance from the security personnel at the gate. The official emphasized that evidence of being “dragged” through a forest and subjected to gangrape is usually evident.
“When a woman is dragged through a jungle by five men and gangraped, there is always evidence. The college authorities provided us with the security camera footage of her returning to campus with her friend. We have reviewed it. Her clothes appeared to be intact, and she walked calmly. The college’s security personnel were on duty at the gates, and she did not seek their assistance,” the official stated.
The survivor also alleged that the perpetrators contacted her friend from her phone after the incident, intending to return the device only upon receiving ₹3,000. She further claimed that they took ₹200 from her. The phone was subsequently recovered from one of the arrested suspects.
All five arrested individuals—Sheikh Safiqul, Sheikh Nasiruddin, Apu Bauri (21), Firdous Shiekh (23), and Sheikh Riazuddin (32)—have been remanded to police custody by a court. These individuals, all from local villages, face charges under Sections 70(1) (gang rape) and 3(5) (criminal act with common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The police mentioned that the arrests were made based on phone call records and circumstantial evidence, as the student did not name anyone in her initial complaint. The survivor’s male classmate, with whom she reportedly left the campus for a meal on the evening of October 10th, is also being questioned.
The police complaint was filed by the survivor’s father, who identified the male classmate as a suspect alongside five unnamed individuals. The incident is believed to have occurred after 8 PM, with the survivor’s father reporting that classmates had contacted him around 9:30 PM.
Authorities have stated that there is currently no evidence to suggest any of the five suspects have prior criminal records.
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