The West Bengal Police on Tuesday arrested the classmate of the medical student who was allegedly raped in a forested area near her college in Durgapur.
The accused, identified as Wasif Ali, allegedly accompanied the 23-year-old survivor for dinner on Friday night before allegedly assaulting her. Ali, who is also a student of the same private medical college, was named in the FIR filed by the survivor’s father. This arrest marks the sixth in the case, following the detention of five other men earlier.
Who is the latest accused?
According to police, Ali had gone out with the survivor for dinner on the night of the alleged assault. CCTV footage from the college shows both leaving the campus at 7.54 pm. Ali was seen returning alone at 8.42 pm, leaving again at 8.48 pm, and finally coming back with the survivor at 9.29 pm, Hindustan Times reported.
Initially, both had claimed they went out for dinner, but the survivor later stated that her friend called others after the assault. Detecting several contradictions in their statements, the police arrested Ali after visiting the crime scene with him and recovering key evidence.
Was it a gangrape or not?
The Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissioner, Sunil Kumar Chowdhury, said preliminary findings indicated that only one person was involved in the sexual assault. “Based on the survivor’s statement and physical evidence, it appears that a single accused committed the crime,” he said, ruling out the earlier claims of gang-rape.
The clarification came after initial reports suggested multiple attackers, which led to confusion and widespread outrage.
What did the investigation uncover?
Police have noted major inconsistencies in the statements given by the survivor, her classmate, and the other arrested individuals.
In her first statement to doctors, the survivor allegedly said three men were present but only one assaulted her. Later, she told police that five men dragged her into a forest and gangraped her.
College surveillance footage also contradicted these claims. It shows her returning “calmly” to campus with her clothes intact and without seeking immediate help. “When someone is dragged and raped in a forest, physical traces are always visible, but the footage suggests otherwise,” HT quoted a senior officer as saying.
Who are the other suspects?
Police have identified five additional suspects, Sheikh Safiqul, Sheikh Nasiruddin, Apu Bauri (21), Firdous Sheikh (23), and Sheikh Riazuddin (32), all residents of nearby villages.
Safiqul was arrested on October 13, while Nasiruddin was arrested on late Sunday. The remaining three were remanded to police custody earlier this week.
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