Durgapur: In a major development in the gangrape case of an Odia medical student in Durgapur, West Bengal, police have arrested the survivor’s friend. The Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissionerate confirmed the arrest this evening.

With this, the total number of arrests in connection with the case has risen to six.
On Monday, a local resident identified as Sheikh Safiqul was arrested from Durgapur. According to police, Safiqul had been hiding at a relative’s house in the area.

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 later taken into custody.

The case was registered following a complaint filed by a second-year medical student from Odisha, who was allegedly gang-raped on Friday night near her college campus in Durgapur.

As per the complaint, the student had gone out for dinner with a male friend when a group of men on motorcycles accosted them and made lewd remarks. The assailants allegedly chased away her friend, dragged the student into a nearby forested area, and gang-raped her. They also snatched her mobile phone and threw it away before fleeing the spot.

Her friend later returned with other students and found her lying injured. She was rushed to a local hospital, where she is currently undergoing treatment.