Woman allegedly drugged, raped in IIM-Calcutta Boys' hostel, accused arrested

An alleged rape has been reported at the boys' hostel of the prestigious Indian Institute of Management-Calcutta (IIM-C), a southern suburb of Kolkata, sending shockwaves through the institution. The victim, who is not an IIM-C student but was staying with a friend, claims she was called to the boys' hostel for a job counselling session where the alleged incident took place.

Accused identified and arrested

The accused, identified as Paramanand Toppanwar, an IIM-C student, has been arrested following a complaint filed by the victim. The Alipore Police Court has remanded him in police custody until July 19. The victim alleges the rape occurred on Friday and she promptly filed a complaint at the Haridevpur police station. The incident has raised significant concerns about campus security within the institution.

Lured for Counselling, drugged, and assaulted

According to the victim's statement to the police, she was invited to the IIM-Calcutta campus boys' hostel for a job counselling session. There, she was offered pizza and a cold drink, which she suspects was laced with a sedative. After consuming the drink, she reportedly lost consciousness. Upon regaining awareness, she realized she had been sexually assaulted.

Threats and ongoing investigation

A police officer confirmed that the victim further alleged the accused threatened her with severe consequences if she revealed the incident to anyone. Following this, she immediately contacted her friend and subsequently complained. The accused student was detained on Friday night and formally arrested. The police are currently conducting a thorough investigation into the matter.

Broader concerns on campus safety

This incident at IIM-Calcutta comes barely two weeks after a separate alleged gang rape of a student inside a law college in Kolkata. In that case, a 24-year-old first-year law student was allegedly gang-raped on June 25 by a former student and two seniors on college premises. Four individuals, including the prime accused Monojit Mishra, two senior students, and a security guard, have been arrested in connection with that case.

The Calcutta High Court has directed Kolkata Police to submit an updated progress report on the law college investigation. These successive incidents have intensified public demand and scrutiny regarding the safety and security measures in educational institutions across the city.