Bengaluru student raped inside college's men's toilet; accused asked 'do you need pill'

A 21-year-old engineering student has been arrested for allegedly raping his collegemate inside a men’s toilet on the campus of a private engineering institution in south Bengaluru.

The accused, identified as Jeevan Gowda, a sixth-semester student, was taken into custody by Hanumanthanagar Police on Wednesday (October 15). He has since been remanded in judicial custody, police said.

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Case registered

The alleged incident occurred on October 10, while the survivor, a seventh-semester student at the same college, lodged a complaint five days later, on October 15.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), the case has been registered under Section 64 (Punishment for Rape) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The FIR states that the survivor and the accused knew each other and had been classmates until Gowda fell behind in his academic year due to backlogs.

On the day of the incident, the survivor had reportedly met Gowda earlier to collect some belongings. During the lunch break, Gowda allegedly called her multiple times, asking her to meet him near the architecture block on the seventh floor.

When she arrived, he allegedly tried to forcibly kiss her. As she attempted to leave using the lift, he is said to have followed her to the sixth floor, dragged her into a men’s washroom, and sexually assaulted her.

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'Do you need a pill?'

The FIR further mentions that Gowda locked the washroom door and seized her phone when it rang during the assault. The alleged attack is believed to have taken place between 1:30 pm and 1:50 pm.

After the incident, the survivor managed to escape and confided in two of her friends. The FIR also notes that Gowda later called her, allegedly asking if she “needed a pill”.

Police said the girl initially hesitated to report the assault as she was distressed and frightened. She later informed her parents, who accompanied her to file a complaint at the Hanumanthanagar police station.

A crime scene reconstruction was conducted on Thursday (October 16), police said. Police confirmed that there were no CCTV cameras on the floor where the incident occurred, which could hinder evidence collection. However, forensic and digital evidence are being examined.

Also Read: Odisha: 19-year-old college student gang-raped near Puri beach, 3 held

BJP slams Congress govt

The case has sparked strong political reactions, particularly from the Opposition BJP, which criticised the ruling Congress government for what it described as a worsening law and order situation in Karnataka.

In a statement on social media, R Ashoka, Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, said, “The law and order in Karnataka has collapsed. In just four months, there have been 979 sexual assaults on girls. Bengaluru alone has reported over 114 cases. Our women and children are living in fear due to the state government’s criminal inaction. From the brutal rape and murder of a tribal girl in Mysuru to the tragic suicide of a librarian in Kalaburagi — this is a moral and administrative failure.”

He added that he had written an urgent letter to the National Commission for Women (NCW), urging it to send a fact-finding team to Karnataka.

“The BJP will not stay silent while our sisters and daughters are unsafe. The government must answer for this breakdown and act swiftly to ensure the safety and security of our women and children,” Ashoka said.