An eighth-grade minor girl was allegedly drugged and gang-raped in a hotel room in the Ambuja Township area, adjacent to Kobiguru crossing in City Centre, Durgapur, Paschim Bardhaman. The victim, a resident of the Budbud police station area in Purba Bardhaman district, was lured from her house at around 2:30 PM on Saturday by a familiar young woman. The girl was taken in a four-wheeled vehicle toward Durgapur, where she was forcefully made to consume alcohol inside the car before being handed over to three youths.
The group entered the hotel on Saturday evening, booking two rooms on the third floor, where the assault took place. Following the assault, the accused individuals drove the minor back to the Budbud bypass area, dumped her at around 10:30 PM, and fled the scene. A local toto driver found the victim and safely transported her back to her home.
After learning about the harrowing incident from the girl, her family members lodged a formal written complaint at the Durgapur Police Station, prompting the local police to launch an immediate investigation and initiate a search operation early Sunday morning. The police investigation has led to the arrest of three individuals so far, including the young woman who lured the victim and two of the accused youths, while a search continues for a third male suspect. Additionally, a hotel employee has been placed under arrest for involvement in the incident.
A forensic team has visited the crime scene to collect necessary physical samples, and the police have sent the victim to the Durgapur Sub-divisional Hospital for a mandatory medical examination. The arrested suspects were produced before the Durgapur Sub-divisional Court on Sunday following their apprehension. The political atmosphere has intensified following the incident, with the BJP demanding an encounter of the individuals accused in the gang-rape.