A second-year student at the prestigious Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta was arrested Friday night for allegedly raping a woman inside the boys' hostel on campus, police confirmed Saturday.
The accused, identified as Paramanand Toppaunwar from Karnataka, was detained following a complaint filed by the survivor at Haridevpur Police Station on Friday evening. He is expected to be produced before the Alipore court later today.
According to police officials, the accused had invited the woman to campus under the pretext of a counselling session. The survivor, a student from another institute, told police that when she arrived, Toppaunwar met her at the gate and asked her not to register her name in the visitors' log - a request that raised her suspicions.
Instead of proceeding to the counselling venue, the accused allegedly took the woman to the boys' hostel, claiming he had urgent work there. Once inside, she was offered pizza and water, which she alleges was spiked with drugs.
"The woman claimed she began feeling dizzy and physically unstable after consuming the beverage," said a senior Kolkata Police officer. "She stated that she was semi-conscious for a while and later lost consciousness completely."
The survivor regained consciousness in the evening to find herself alone in the hostel room. She managed to leave the premises, contacted a friend, and subsequently approached police to file a complaint.
In addition to the forces at the campus, other police officers have been deployed to the exterior of the IIM campus. The occurrence has brought concern to an even tighter safety plan to take place at the educational establishments of West Bengal.
Strong security measures and sensitisation on student safety in campuses are thus important as noted in the case. Study locations now have to rethink the joint security options and visitor management solutions.
The name of the person who survived has been withheld under the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court concerning sexual attack cases.
In addition to the forces on the campus, other police officers have been deployed to the exterior of the IIM campus. The occurrence has brought concern to an even tighter safety plan to take place at the educational establishments of West Bengal.
Strong security measures and sensitisation on student safety in campuses are thus important, as noted in the case. Study locations now have to rethink the joint security options and visitor management solutions.
The name of the person who survived has been withheld under the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court concerning sexual attack cases.
This incident comes barely a fortnight after a 24-year-old student was allegedly gang-raped at South Calcutta Law College, highlighting growing concerns about women's safety in educational institutions across the city.
The latest case has put campus security protocols under intense scrutiny. Despite recent police advisories and standard operating procedures issued to educational institutions following the law college incident, questions remain about how the woman gained access to the hostel area without proper registration or security checks.
On top of the forces on the campus, more police officers have been stationed outside the IIM campus. The incidence has raised the need to tighten up the safety measures to be followed at the educational institutions of West Bengal.
The case highlights the importance of the need to have strong security measures and sensitisation on student safety on campuses. Learning facilities are currently forced to reconsider the available security measures and visitor management solutions.
The identity of the survivor has been suppressed under Supreme Court guidelines on sexual assault cases.
