Durgapur Gang-Rape: Fifth Accused Arrested, Crime Scene Recreated

Bhubaneswar/Durgapur: West Bengal Police on Tuesday took one of the five accused in the gang rape of a medical student in Durgapur to the crime spot for a scene recreation. The exercise was conducted in the Durgapur forest, with the Deputy Commissioner of Police and investigating officers present.

In a related development, the police have also detained the survivor’s male friend, a resident of Jaleswar, Odisha, for his suspicious behaviour.

The fifth accused, identified as Sheikh Safiqul, a local resident, was arrested on Monday. He had reportedly been hiding at a relative’s house in Durgapur. With his arrest, the total number of accused in custody has risen to five.

Earlier, on Sunday, three other accused—Sheikh Reajuddin, Firdos Sheikh, and Apu Bauri—were arrested and remanded to 10-day police custody. Another accused was subsequently taken into custody.

The second-year medical student was allegedly gang-raped by several men outside the private medical college campus in Durgapur on Friday night while she had gone out for dinner with her male friend. Police investigations are ongoing.