A 20-year-old woman from Haridevpur has accused two men of gang-raping her during her birthday celebration, police said on Saturday. The accused are currently on the run, prompting a manhunt by local authorities.
According to the complaint, the survivor had met Chandan Mallick a few months ago. He presented himself as the head of a South Kolkata puja committee, and later introduced her to Dwip. The two allegedly promised her opportunities to participate in the committee’s activities and began speaking with her frequently, India Today reported.
According to a report by news agency PTI, the woman has alleged in her complaint that she was abducted by the two accused and taken to a place near Malancha on Saturday night, where she was sexually assaulted.
"The two accused have fled, and we are searching for them. The victim is being medically examined. We are investigating the matter. Our officers are visiting the place where the crime took place," an officer told PTI.
"One of the two accused, Chandan Mallick, had invited the victim to a birthday party yesterday. But the young woman did not want to go. Later, Chandan and his friend Debangshu Biswas abducted her from her home and took her to the Malancha area and raped her multiple times," he added.
The incident was brought to light after the woman went home and told her family members about it. They then took her to the police station to lodge a complaint.
Police Investigation Underway
Following the incident, the survivor lodged a complaint at Haridevpur police station. In its official statement, the police confirmed the details, saying, “The FIR-named accused Chandan Mallick brought the complainant to the house of another accused, Dwip Biswas near Malancha, where both allegedly raped and assaulted her. An investigation in the case is ongoing.”
Police are now tracking the absconding accused and have appealed to the public to share any information that could assist in their arrest.
This latest case has once again reignited concerns over women’s safety in the city. Earlier this year in June, a 24-year-old law student was allegedly gang-raped inside the South Calcutta Law College campus by three fellow students and a security guard, an incident that led to widespread protests and intense scrutiny of law enforcement’s handling of sexual violence cases.