Victim's friend apprehended in Durgapur rape case, total arrests at 6
Kolkata (PTI): Police on Tuesday evening arrested a friend of the medical student of a private college, who was allegedly raped in West Bengal’s Durgapur, taking the total number of arrests in the case to six, a senior police officer said.
The accused had accompanied the victim when she had gone outside the campus of the medical college to fetch food on the evening of the alleged crime, he said.
The Malda resident was arrested after police found his replies to be incoherent, the officer said.
CCTV footage showed him accompanying the victim out of the college campus around 7.58 pm, police said.
He was then found returning to the campus alone at 8:42 pm and again coming out after some time.
The footage showed the victim and her college-mate entering the campus together around 9.29 pm, the officer said.
The woman’s father had earlier alleged that his daughter's friend "could have some vital role" behind the crime.
"I am sure that her friend definitely has some kind of involvement in the crime. He accompanied my daughter out of the college. I think this could be pre-planned, or else this could not have happened," he had said.
Earlier, five people were apprehended in connection with the case.
The second-year student hailing from Odisha's Jaleswar was allegedly raped outside the campus of the private medical college in Durgapur on October 10.
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Attacks on Christians contradict PM's message of harmony, visit to church: Gehlot
Jaipur (PTI): Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday expressed concern over the reported attacks and disruptions in prayer gatherings of the Christian community in different parts of the country, saying such incidents were "worrying and condemnable".
In a post on X, Gehlot said that while the Prime Minister Narendra Modi was visiting a church and giving a message of peace and harmony, news of attacks on members of the Christian community from various regions reflected a serious contradiction.
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"Symbolic gestures would not be enough, and strict legal action was required against those spreading hatred," the senior Congress leader said.
He added that Indian culture has always upheld the spirit of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam", where every citizen has full freedom to practise their faith.
Gehlot urged the Centre and state governments to uphold the rule of law and ensure that no citizen is forced to celebrate their festival under fear.
