Rape Survivor’s Academic Plea Amid Family’s Heartbreak: Father Seeks Justice from Bengal CM
Kolkata: In a poignant twist to her harrowing ordeal, the 23-year-old second-year medical student who endured a brutal rape and is currently receiving medical care has expressed her desire to sit for a supplementary examination at a future date, having missed the current semester tests due to the trauma. Yet her father, grappling with profound anguish, firmly restated his intention to relocate the family back to Odisha, signaling a painful end to their aspirations in West Bengal.
According to informed sources, the young woman conveyed this wish during her recorded statement to a magistrate in her hospital room on Tuesday evening. The assault occurred amid the ongoing second-year assessments at the medical college, derailing her academic progress. College officials responded supportively, affirming they have no qualms with accommodating her request and expressing hope that she persists with her studies there. “She excels academically and harbors a strong ambition to pursue medicine. Our wish is for her to graduate from this institution,” remarked the medical college director.
Uncertainty lingers over whether the father shares this vision for his daughter’s education. Speaking to journalists on Wednesday with a note of bitter irony, he declared, “Sonar Bangla sonar thak (Let the Golden Bengal remain the way it is). We will return to Odisha.” He elaborated on the shattered dreams that prompted their move to Kolkata: “I arrived here nurturing hopes of turning my daughter into a doctor. Her prospects lie in ruins now. We shall not set foot here again.”
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In a softer tone later, he appealed directly to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, whom he likened to a maternal guardian. “If my words have offended, I beg her pardon. I offer endless salutations at her feet. Still, I implore her to secure justice for my child,” he shared with television crews that day.
The National Commission for Women (NCW) has stepped in, advocating for tailored academic support to shield the survivor’s future. “Given the potential for her to forgo the impending exam owing to psychological distress, the National Medical Commission and relevant university bodies must facilitate a dedicated test to avert any scholastic setback,” the NCW urged, prioritizing her holistic recovery.
Medical staff at the facility report steady improvement in her physical condition. Psychologists, however, caution that overcoming the emotional scars could prove a prolonged journey, underscoring the wisdom in opting for deferred exams.