'Dragged her to men’s toilet': Bengaluru engineering student raped on campus

The survivor, initially too traumatised to approach authorities, later filed a complaint with her parents’ support.

A 22-year-old student was arrested for allegedly raping a senior at a private engineering college in Bengaluru, police said on Friday. The accused, identified as Jeevan Gowda, was taken into custody and remanded to judicial custody after the survivor filed a complaint at the Hanumanthanagar police station.

The complaint stated that the survivor met Jeevan during lunch break to collect some materials. (PTI)

According to police officials, the assault took place on October 10 inside the college premises but was reported five days later, after the survivor -- a seventh-semester student -- informed her parents.

"Both the survivor and the accused were known to each other and studied in the same institution, though Jeevan was a year behind due to academic backlogs," said an officer in the know of the development.

The complaint stated that the survivor met Jeevan during lunch break to collect some materials. He allegedly called her to the seventh floor near the architecture block, where he attempted to kiss her.

"When she resisted and tried to leave, he forcibly dragged her to the men’s toilet on the sixth floor and raped her," the officer added.

During the incident, the accused reportedly took away her phone when it rang.

The survivor, initially too traumatised to approach authorities, later filed a complaint with her parents’ support. Police have initiated forensic tests, though the absence of CCTV cameras on the floor where the assault occurred has complicated the investigation.

The incident has triggered political reactions, with opposition leaders blaming the state government for failing to protect women. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader R Ashok said the case was emblematic of a broader collapse in law and order, alleging that more than 979 sexual assault cases involving girls have been registered in Karnataka over the past four months, including 114 in Bengaluru.

“The brutal rape in Bengaluru and the rising crimes against women show the moral and administrative failure of this government. The safety of women and children cannot be compromised,” Ashok said in a post on X, demanding action from the state.