The prime accused in the alleged gang rape of a 23-year-old medical student in Durgapur, Safiq Sk, was nabbed by the police with the assistance of his elder sister. Rozina Sk, who led police to her absconding brother, stated that she wanted him to face the law and not bring shame upon their family. She accompanied the police to a spot beneath a bridge in Durgapur where Safiq had agreed to meet her. He was taken into custody upon arrival.
“I told him he did the right thing by turning himself in. The family should not be shamed because of him. We may be poor but we value self-respect,” Rozina told The Times of India at their home in Birja village. “If he is guilty, he should face the consequences. If not, he will be let off. He had never misbehaved with any woman.”
Rozina added that the constant police visits to their home had tarnished the family's reputation. “His wife and children have not done anything wrong. The daily knocks on our doors by police brought disrepute to the family. Not anymore,” she said.
Alongside Safiq, another suspect, Sk Nasiruddin, was also arrested on Monday. Nasiruddin allegedly provided the motorcycle used by the accused to flee the crime scene. According to police, with these arrests, all five suspects believed to be involved in the October 10 incident are now in custody. The three other accused, Sk Riyazuddin, Apu Barui, and Firdaus Sk, were apprehended on Sunday. Safiq and Nasiruddin were produced before a local court on Monday and have been remanded in police custody for nine days to aid further investigation.
The West Bengal Police on Tuesday escorted all five suspects to the crime scene to reconstruct the events of the alleged assault. The site, a forested area near Paranaganj Kali Bari cremation ground lies close to the entrance of a private medical college where the victim is a student. As part of the investigation, two of the accused were also taken to their respective homes on Tuesday morning in a bid to recover any hidden evidence.
According to reports, one of the accused was previously employed as a security guard at the medical college, while another is currently working at a nearby hospital. The remaining three include a temporary municipal worker, an unemployed youth, and one whose occupation is still being verified.
The 23-year-old from Odisha was allegedly gang raped on the night of 10 October after leaving IQ City Medical College in Durgapur with a male classmate for dinner. CCTV footage shows three local men following them, with the woman later dragged about 500 metres into a wooded area and assaulted. Police believe five men were involved, with two joining in later. The assailants allegedly stole her phone, ₹200 in cash, and later demanded a ₹3,000 ransom using the stolen device. Her male companion reportedly fled the scene and returned with her nearly an hour later. A formal complaint was filed by her father the next day.
