Kolkata, February 6: Two men have been arrested for allegedly raping a woman tourist and assaulting her male friend in a forest near Digha, a popular beach town in West Bengal’s East Midnapore district, on February 3. A case has been registered against the accused duo under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC0.

According to an India Today report, the woman and her friend, both residents of the Mahisadal area in the same district, were looking for a hotel when the accused offered to help them find cheap accommodation. They lured the couple to their motorbikes and drove them to a secluded spot where they robbed them of their valuables and then raped the woman. They also tied the man to a tree and beat him up until he lost consciousness. West Bengal Shocker: Man Arrested for Raping Minor, Sharing Video of Heinous Act With Victim’s Mother in Durgapur.

Woman Dragged to Forest, Raped

The next morning, the woman managed to get help from some locals and reached the Digha police station, where she filed a complaint. The police launched a search operation and nabbed the two accused within four hours. They were booked under sections 376 (rape), 379 (theft) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The accused were produced before the Kanthi sub-divisional court on Monday, where the judge ordered a test identification parade and remanded them to judicial custody for 14 days. The victim also recorded her statement in court. West Bengal Shocker: Minor Rape Victim Sets Herself on Fire in Murshidabad, Dies; Accused Absconding.

Uproar After Incident

The victim’s brother demanded strict punishment for the culprits and said his sister showed courage to come forward. He said this was not the first time such a heinous crime had happened in the busy tourist spot of West Bengal.

The incident sparked outrage among the opposition parties in the state, who slammed the ruling Trinamool Congress for the deteriorating law and order situation. BJP leader and Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said the “system has collapsed” and the state government had failed to protect the women. The BJP women’s wing also announced a protest at the state assembly during the upcoming budget session.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 06, 2024 05:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).