Odisha MBBS student gangrape case: State Women’s Commission team in Durgapur to meet survivor, monitor probe progress

A three-member delegation of the Odisha State Women’s Commission (OSWC), led by its Chairperson, Sobhana Mohanty, is on its way to Durgapur in West Bengal. The team will assess the progress of the investigation and the medical treatment being provided to the Odia medical student from Balasore district who was allegedly gangraped near a private college in Paschim Bardhaman district last Friday.

The Chairperson informed that the team will hold discussions with police and administrative officials, visit the hospital where the survivor is admitted, and meet her family to extend all possible support.

Commission Team To Examine Investigation Progress

According to reports, the OSWC team will first visit the Durgapur medical facility where the survivor, a second-year student from Jaleswar in Balasore district, is undergoing treatment. Sobhana Mohanty said the team will assess her condition and verify whether the West Bengal government is providing priority healthcare, as Odisha would have done in a similar case.

Mohanty added that the team will then meet the Durgapur police and local administration to review the course of the investigation and ensure that the accused are presented before the court at the earliest.

“We will then meet the Durgapur police and administration, check the course of the investigation, and determine whether any fast-tracking to present the accused at court has been made or not. We will also hold talks with the DG and ensure the proper recovery of the victim,” she said.

The Women’s Commission chairperson had earlier termed the crime “extremely barbaric”, reiterating that the panel has remained in continuous touch with the survivor’s family.

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No Coordination From West Bengal

During an interaction with the press yesterday, Mohanty confirmed that the Commission has been coordinating with the survivor's family since the incident was reported.

However, she also revealed that despite multiple efforts, the West Bengal State Women’s Commission has not responded to OSWC’s outreach attempts. “We tried to get in touch with the West Bengal Women’s Commission, but unfortunately, there has been no response from their side so far,” she noted.

Meanwhile, according to official reports, three accused persons have been arrested in connection with the gangrape. Two others are still absconding, and search operations are underway to apprehend them.