West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee&rsquo;s remarks on the alleged Durgapur medical college gang rape have triggered a wave of outrage, after she questioned why the survivor was &ldquo;outside the campus at 12:30 am.&rdquo;
Speaking at a press briefing on Sunday, Banerjee said, &ldquo;She was studying in a private medical college, all the private medicals are whose responsibility? How did they come out in the night at 12:30? It happened, so far I know, in the forest area. The investigation is on.&rdquo; The Chief Minister added that while she was &ldquo;shocked&rdquo; by the incident, private colleges must ensure safety of students &ldquo;especially the girl child,&rdquo; and &ldquo;should not allow them to step out at night.&rdquo;
Her comments have sparked criticism across social media and among women&rsquo;s rights groups, who called the statement &ldquo;insensitive&rdquo; and &ldquo;victim-blaming.&rdquo;&nbsp;The survivor, a second-year medical student from Odisha&rsquo;s Jaleswar, was allegedly assaulted by a group of men outside her private college in Durgapur on Friday night. Her parents, who were informed around 9:30 pm, claimed that the crime took place much earlier than 12:30 am.
The student&rsquo;s mother recounted, &ldquo;She went out to have food with a friend when three men started following them. Her friend ran away, leaving her alone. The men took her to a nearby forest area. Two more joined them. One of them committed the crime and snatched her mobile.&rdquo;
Police have since arrested three accused and intensified the investigation. The survivor remains under medical care as public outrage mounts over both the assault and the Chief Minister&rsquo;s remarks.

Mamata’s ‘12:30 am’ remark draws backlash

CM questions survivor’s presence outside college at night amid Durgapur gang rape probe

Mamata’s ‘12:30 am’ remark draws backlash

CM questions survivor’s presence outside college at night amid Durgapur gang rape probe

October 12, 2025 | 16:55 IST