A student from the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati (IIT-G) was arrested on Saturday for allegedly raping an undergraduate student on campus, police said.
According to the police, the woman was allegedly raped on March 28, the day Holi is celebrated in the state. She was first admitted to IIT-G Hospital and then taken to Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) for treatment.
“We have arrested a student and searched him for rape. Four other students are questioned. More investigations are underway and more arrests could occur, ”said Kamrup Police Superintendent Hitesh Chandra Roy.
Media reports said the student may have been drugged prior to the incident.
Police added that the woman’s statement was recorded on Saturday, six days after the incident. They added that the defendant is a groupmate of the woman but refused to give more details about the students or the nature of the alleged assault.
GMCH doctors said the woman was taken to hospital on March 29 in an unconscious state.
“After regaining consciousness, she told the doctors that she had been sexually assaulted. We immediately followed the protocol and performed a medical test, ”said a GMCH senior physician on condition of anonymity. The student’s medical report is expected.
The GMCH doctor added that IIT-G officials released the woman the same day against their advice.
“The IIT-G authorities took her out of GMCH that same day and said they would treat her at the institute hospital. As this went against our advice, we immediately informed the local police, ”he added.
In a statement, IIT-G said the institute acted quickly after the “unfortunate incident.”
“The student is now safe and is recovering well,” the statement said, adding that the woman’s parents were informed of the incident. He stated that the woman and her parents refused to present an FIR and asked the university authorities to take up the matter.
“The research committee, constituted on March 29, presented its report to the institute on April 2 at 6 in the afternoon and the institute presented an FIR. The police have started their investigation and the institute is providing full cooperation, ”the statement read. IIT officials did not release details of the investigation report.
Police, however, said that IIT-G authorities did not register an FIR.
“They just sent their internal investigation report. We registered the case on March 29 and the student was arrested based on our investigation, ”said Mukut Baishya, in charge of the Amingaon police post, adding that the university was not cooperating with the investigation.
HT attempted to contact IIT-G officials, but they were not immediately available for a response.
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