Kolkata: In a major development in the Durgapur medical student rape case, police on Tuesday evening arrested the victim’s friend, identified as Wasif Ali.
According to police, Ali’s name surfaced after the survivor recorded her statement before a magistrate earlier in the day. Investigators said there were several discrepancies between his version of the Friday night incident and other accounts. After multiple rounds of questioning, he was taken into custody.
Deputy Commissioner (East Division) of Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissionerate Abhishek Gupta said Ali was arrested on the basis of the student’s judicial statement. “With this, the total number of arrests has gone up to six,” he added.
Earlier in the day, police reconstructed the crime scene near Paranganj Kalibari crematorium, where the alleged assault took place, in the presence of the accused and the survivor’s friend.
Later in the evening, Commissioner of Police Sunil Kumar Choudhary told reporters that the police acted promptly after receiving the complaint and apprehended five accused within 48 hours. “As per the survivor’s statement, one person was directly involved in the rape. We are investigating the role of the others. Several forensic and medical reports are awaited,” he said. During the day, a police team also visited the residences of two accused and seized the clothes they were reportedly wearing on the day of the incident.
Regarding the survivor’s safety, Choudhary said, “We have assured the student’s family of all necessary protection. She has been provided round-the-clock security, and if the family seeks personal guards, that too will be arranged.”