Durgapur: The Asansol-Durgapur police have confirmed that all five accused in the alleged gang-rape of a private medical college student are now in custody following the arrest of two more individuals on Monday.
Elder sister helps track absconding brother
Rozina Sk, the elder sister of the main accused, Safiq Sk, played a key role in his arrest. She accompanied the police to a spot below the Andal bridge where Safiq had agreed to meet her, leading to his immediate apprehension.
Rozina stated that she wanted her brother to face the law. “We may be poor but we value self-respect. If he is guilty, he should face the consequences. If he is not, he will be let off,” she said. She added that the family has faced public scrutiny, but she is confident that the legal process will ensure justice.
Details of arrests
Along with Safiq Sk, Sk Nasiruddin was also arrested on Monday. The remaining three accused — Sk Riyazuddin, Apu Barui, and Firdaus Sk — were arrested on Sunday. Riyazuddin, who had previously worked as a guard at the medical college, was dismissed five years ago. Nasiruddin, a casual worker at Durgapur Municipal Corporation, had his bike allegedly used by the accused to flee the crime scene.
The two latest arrestees were produced before Durgapur judicial magistrate Rajib Sarkar and remanded in police custody for nine days. Legal aid lawyer Pooja Kurmi filed a vakalatnama for Safiq and Nasiruddin but did not seek bail. The Durgapur Bar Association had decided that none of its members would represent the accused.
Investigation ongoing
Police stated that they will seek DNA profiling of the accused and match it with samples collected during the medico-legal examination of the survivor. Once the survivor is prepared, authorities plan to record her statement before a judicial magistrate and conduct a test identification parade.
Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissioner Sunil Chowdhury assured the public: “All five accused present at the scene of crime have been arrested. We assure the family and friends of the survivor that all accused will be brought to justice quickly. No perpetrator will be spared.”
Survivor’s background
The survivor, a 23-year-old second-year MBBS student from the private medical college, was allegedly gang-raped at a forested spot near the campus shortly after stepping out for dinner with a classmate on Friday evening.