Female students staying in hostels must adhere to rules, mustn't venture out late at night: Mamata Banerjee

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday said that female boarders, especially those from outside the state, should follow hostel rules and not venture out late at night. Banerjee made the averment after a student of a private medical college in Durgapur, hailing from Odisha, was allegedly gang-raped on Friday night when she went out with a friend for dinner.

"Students staying in hostels, especially those who have come to West Bengal to study from outside the state, are expected to follow the rules of the hostels. They should avoid venturing out late at night , although they have the fundamental right to go wherever they want.

"But the police have certain logistical limitations in monitoring the movement of every individual. Officers would not know who is leaving home at night and cannot stand guard outside every home," she said.

Also read 'West Bengal is hell for women': Durgapur gang-rape of Odisha medical student sparks outrage, no arrest so far

She was speaking to reporters at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport here before leaving for natural disaster-hit north Bengal to review relief and rehabilitation work. Banerjee termed the incident "shocking", and said that no accused would be spared.

"This is a shocking incident... We have zero tolerance for such crimes. Three accused have been arrested and police are conducting searches for others. Nobody will be spared," she said in her first reaction to the incident.

Banerjee said that the institution of which the woman is a student of also bears responsibility for the incident. "Private colleges must ensure security within and around their campuses," she said.