The incident has triggered outrage and protests, with BJP leader Parijat Ganguly visiting the victim’s family and demanding stringent action against the accused. He also called for an “encounter” of those arrested, arguing that severe punishment was necessary to deter such crimes.
A 14-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped after being lured from her home, drugged, and taken to a hotel in West Bengal’s Durgapur, police said. Four people, including the woman accused of taking the girl from her residence and a hotel manager, have been arrested, while one suspect remains on the run.
The incident has triggered outrage in the area and renewed concerns over crimes against women and minors in the state.
According to a complaint lodged by the victim’s father, the incident took place on Saturday when a young woman identified as Simran Tamang, allegedly persuaded the 14-year-old girl to leave her home with her.
The father alleged that after leaving the house, the minor was taken in a four-wheeler where she was forced to consume alcohol allegedly mixed with an intoxicating substance. Once she lost consciousness, she was taken to a hotel in the Kaviguru area of Durgapur’s City Centre.
The complaint states that the girl was then allegedly sexually assaulted by multiple accused, including Raj Mallik and Sheikh Azharuddin, along with others present there. After the alleged assault, the accused reportedly abandoned the minor near the bypass and fled.
Later, around 10.30 pm on Saturday, an e-rickshaw driver allegedly found the girl in a distressed condition and dropped her near her home. The family then learnt about the incident and rushed her to hospital. She is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in Bidhannagar.
The victim’s father said his daughter had been taken from home around 1.30 pm and was later found in a heavily intoxicated state. “I appeal to the Chief Minister to ensure the strictest punishment for all those responsible. I seek capital punishment for the accused,” he said.
Following the complaint, police launched an investigation and carried out searches in the area. A forensic team visited the alleged crime scene and the hotel, collecting samples and evidence for examination.
According to Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissioner Praveen Kumar, four people have been arrested so far. He said the arrests include two named accused, the woman accused of taking the victim to the hotel, and the hotel’s manager. One more accused remains absconding and search operations are underway to trace him.
The commissioner added that the victim has undergone a medical examination and forensic evidence has been collected as part of the investigation.
BJP LEADER DEMANDS ENCOUNTER OF ACCUSED
The incident has sparked widespread outrage in the area. BJP leader Parijat Ganguly, who visited the hospital and met the victim’s family at the invitation of local party leaders, demanded the strictest possible punishment for the accused from the state government and the police administration.
In a strongly worded statement, Ganguly said that what SK Azharuddin, Raj Mallik and Simran Tamang – whom he described as the mastermind behind the crime – had allegedly done was “beyond tolerance”.
“We appeal to the Chief Minister and the government not to let such rapists sit in jail and enjoy free meals. If the police have arrested them in the morning, they should be killed in an encounter by the afternoon or evening. Until such fear is instilled, criminals will not be afraid of the law,” he said.
