KOLKATA: A second-year MBBS student was gang-raped. The incident took place on Friday night near a private medical college in Durgapur, West Bengal. The student, a native of Jaleswar, Odisha, was out with her friend when unknown men accosted them near the college gate. The incident took place around 8:30 pm. The woman was forcibly taken to a nearby forest and raped.

The victim's father alleged that the girl's friend had run away, and he suspects that this friend was involved in the crime. The father alleged in his complaint that the friend deliberately misled his daughter and took her to an empty place. The father stated in his complaint that the assailants snatched his daughter's mobile phone and the Rs 5,000 in it. The student, who was admitted to a private hospital in Durgapur, is in a critical condition.

The police said that an investigation has been launched into the incident and several people, including the student's friend, have been questioned. The victim's statement has also been recorded. West Bengal Women and Child Development Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Shashi Panja said that the student is undergoing treatment and will be provided with counselling. The state health department has sought a report from the college on the incident. National media reported that a team from the National Commission for Women will visit the victim's parents.