West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s recent comments on the Durgapur rape case have triggered widespread controversy and debate across India. The alleged gang rape of a 23-year-old woman from Odisha, a second-year MBBS student at a private medical college in Durgapur, has sparked outrage, not just for the crime itself but also for the Chief Minister’s remarks which many interpreted as victim-blaming.
Mamata Banerjee’s statement and response
Upon addressing the media on Sunday, Mamata Banerjee called the case “shocking” and asserted that strict action would be taken. However, her response took a contentious turn when she questioned the circumstances: “How did she come out at night at 12:30? So far as I know, it happened in a forest area… The private medical college should also take care of its students. Especially the girls should not be allowed to come outside at night-time. They have to protect themselves also,” she was quoted as saying.
Banerjee insisted that the private institute must explain how the student was able to leave campus at such late hours, suggesting that institutions bear some responsibility in protecting students. She further stated, “The case is under investigation, and three persons have already been arrested. No one will be spared; the guilty will be strictly punished.”
Facing backlash, Mamata defended herself, claiming her words were “deliberately distorted and taken out of context” by the media: “You ask me a question, and when I answer, my words are twisted and taken out of context. Do not try this nasty politics with me,” she clarified, stressing that she meets the media directly and always calls for fair investigation and justice.
Despite her attempts to clarify, her remarks drew sharp criticism from opposition parties and women’s rights groups, who accused her of engaging in victim-blaming and failing to focus squarely on justice for the survivor. BJP’s Gaurav Bhatia publicly denounced her comments, calling them “a blot on womanhood, even more for being a CM.”
Details of the Durgapur case
The serious incident occurred late Friday evening. The victim, a young woman from Odisha, had reportedly left her college hostel with a male friend for dinner. While outside, they were confronted by three unidentified men who assaulted them, snatched her phone, and dragged her to a secluded area in a nearby forest, where she was allegedly gang-raped.
The friend reportedly fled, and the woman was left alone with her attackers, who later demanded money to return her phone and threatened her if she raised an alarm.
The survivor’s parents arrived in Durgapur the next day after hearing about the attack from classmates and immediately filed a police complaint. Three accused men, Apu Bauri, Sheikh Firdous, and Sheikh Riyazuddin, were arrested promptly, and police launched a manhunt for other possible suspects, including scrutinizing the role of the friend who was with her. Drones and forensic teams swept the forest to gather evidence.
The National Commission for Women has also stepped in, seeking a report from West Bengal Police within five days and urging a full investigation. The crime has heightened concerns about safety at educational institutions and reignited debate about women’s mobility, institutional responsibility, and the state’s duty to ensure safety and justice for all.