Kolkata reports yet another rape horror; woman assaulted at her birthday party

While Kolkata’s collective memory is still reeling under the forgettable rape incidents at two reputable institutions, one of which resulted in the victim’s murder, yet another case of crime against women has surfaced from one of the city’s upscale localities.

A 20-year-old woman from Haridevpur, a neighbourhood in south Kolkata, was allegedly raped by two persons, reportedly her acquaintances, on the pretext of celebrating her birthday, police said on Sunday (September 7).

Accused duo absconding

According to reports, the incident took place in the Regent Park area near Haridevpur on Friday (September 5). The accused were identified as Chandan Mallick and Deep Biswas, who are currently absconding. A police investigation is underway. Biswas is reportedly a government employee.

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Reports cited police sources as saying that the accused duo took the woman to Biswas’s flat in the local Malancha area on Friday to celebrate her birthday. They had food together before the alleged nightmare unfolded. The police cited the woman as saying that when she wanted to return home, the accused duo stopped her, locked the door, and took turns raping her.

Woman returned home next day

The woman managed to escape and return home only on Saturday (September 6) morning, the reports added. She then told her family about her experience, and they filed an FIR at Haridevpur Police Station under relevant sections of law.

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In the complaint, the woman mentioned that she came to know Mallick many months ago, and the latter then introduced her to Biswas. Mallick also introduced himself as the head of a big Durga Puja committee in South Kolkata. The trio were in touch with each other. They allegedly promised her that they would help her get involved in the activities of the puja committee, it was added in the complaint.

According to a report in the Bengali daily Anandabazaar Patrika, the woman alleged that she went to the place where the incident took place with a friend, as she knew another friend’s birthday party was being organised. But when she reached there, she saw nobody else, and the two accused raped her. She also said she was forced to go to the house, while at the beginning, she said the decision to go was hers.

Also read: RG Kar victim’s father alleges hospital denied admission to wife under 'govt pressure'

Kolkata's rape horrors

In June, a law student was allegedly gang-raped on the campus of South Calcutta Law College. A former leader of West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress’s student wing, Trinamool Chhatra Parishad, was the prime accused. The ruling party distanced itself from the accused.

In August last year, a trainee doctor was gang-raped and murdered while she was on duty at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, which triggered massive protests not only in Bengal but also across the country and overseas. One person was awarded life imprisonment by a local court earlier this year, but many believed true justice was not delivered.