A 23-year-old MBBS student was gang-raped near a medical college in Durgapur, West Bengal. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recently stated that the student had left the college campus at midnight, implying some responsibility on her part. However, NDTV has accessed the complaint filed by the woman’s father, which led to the FIR. According to the complaint, the sexual assault happened around 8 pm while the student was out with a college friend, not at midnight as the Chief Minister claimed.

Earlier, Mamata Banerjee appeared to shift responsibility for student safety to private colleges. She questioned how the student, who is originally from Odisha, managed to leave the campus late at night. She said, “She was studying in a private medical college. Whose responsibility is it? How did she come out at 12.30 at night?” Banerjee added that private colleges should take care of their students and ensure safety at night, calling the area around the college “a forest area.”

These remarks sparked a major backlash, with many accusing the Chief Minister of victim-shaming and avoiding responsibility for the crime. BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul criticized Banerjee, saying the student had gone out at 8 pm to buy food. She compared the situation in West Bengal to Taliban-like restrictions, saying, “Mamata Banerjee wants to say women in West Bengal won’t step out after midnight. Are you saying we will get raped if we step out after midnight?”

CPM state secretary Mohammed Salim also criticized Banerjee’s comments. He said, “This mindset is against the social reforms of Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Vidyasagar. Men and women are equal. It is the government’s responsibility to protect women, not blame them.”

Amid the outrage, Mamata Banerjee defended her remarks, accusing the media of twisting her words. She said, “The media distorted my words. You ask me a question, I answer it, and then you distort it. Do not try this kind of politics.”

The incident has reignited debates over women’s safety, accountability of private institutions, and the role of the government in protecting female students. Many activists and politicians are demanding strict action against the perpetrators and proper measures to ensure student safety on campuses.