The Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissionerate, on Tuesday, have revealed that forensic and testimonial evidence points to a solitary individual as the direct perpetrator of the sexual assault on a second-year medical student. While five suspects had been detained earlier for their confirmed presence at the scene, the latest findings have shifted the narrative away from initial suspicions of a group attack, emphasising instead a meticulous review of roles played by each involved party. Meanwhile, the friend of the complainant, who is also her class mate at the same private Medical College and Hospital, has been arrested by Police late on Tuesday evening.
The incident, which unfolded late on October 10 near the wooded outskirts of IQ City Medical College, involved the 23-year-old survivor from Jaleswar, Odisha, who had ventured out for a casual dinner with a male classmate. What began as an evening outing escalated into a nightmare when the group allegedly coerced her into a secluded area, leading to the assault. Police were alerted shortly after 1 a.m. the following day via a distress call, prompting a swift response that secured the site and initiated arrests within 24 hours.
"Based on the woman's statement and physical evidence, it has been established thus far that only one person committed the sexual assault," Commissioner Sunil Kumar Choudhary stated firmly, adding a layer of caution to the proceedings. He further elaborated on the broader involvement: "Till now, we have arrested five accused persons whose presence has been established at the place of occurrence on the day of the crime. We have also recovered a mobile phone which..." This sixth arrest came after the press briefing, targeting the survivor's classmate, whose actions that night remain a focal point of scrutiny. Investigators have impounded his clothing for forensic analysis and are dissecting his timeline to determine complicity.
Choudhary refrained from pinpointing the lone assailant at this juncture, citing the imperative for comprehensive verification. "More evidence is expected for confirmation," he noted during the briefing, highlighting ongoing DNA testing of biological samples and scene reconstructions conducted with the detainees. "The role of the victim's friend has remained under our scanner and he is not outside the domain of suspicion," Choudhury added. As journalists insisted for a clarity as whether it was a case of rape or gang rape, Choudhary reiterated that act of assault has been committed by one, according to technical evidences but maintained the role of every arrested accused are being verified.
