

KOLKATA: A 19-year-old student of a popular college in south Kolkata was allegedly raped by her Facebook pal - an aspiring graphic designer - in his paying guest accommodation in Palbazar area of Garfa on Monday afternoon.

The accused, 22-year-old Subhodip Paul, has been arrested. The girl has told police it was the first time that she had agreed to meet Paul alone since they became friends on the social networking site a year ago.

The survivor has completed her first year in college and came across Paul's profile through common friends. "As the friendship deepened, Paul even shifted from Khanjachak in East Midnapore to Kolkata to pursue a course in animation and graphic designing. He began pressuring the girl to meet him," said an investigator.

After much coaxing, the girl finally agreed and Paul asked her to travel from her residence to Jadavpur 8B bus stand around 11am on Monday. The two spoke for about half an hour and left for Palbazar around 11.30am. "When they reached the PG accommodation, the other inmates had left for work. It was then that she was raped," added the officer. Police are probing if the woman was drugged before being raped.

The survivor filed a complaint on Monday evening after which police sent her for medical examination. "The medical test has confirmed rape," said an officer. "We arrested Paul after conducting raids in Garfa. Her statement is being recorded before a magistrate and we are collecting forensic evidence from the spot," said DC-south suburban Santosh Pandey.

Pandey advised youngsters to be careful while meeting strangers who are befriended through social networking sites. "We request everyone to be extra careful when they meet strangers whom they get acquainted with through such sites. It is advisable to not go to any secluded place alone. Apply discretion when communicating with them," said Pandey.

This is not the first instance of a woman being raped after striking a friendship with strangers through social networking sites. There were reports of girls as young as 12 years being raped in moving cars in Meerut (Uttar Pradesh), Kota (Rajasthan) and Kozikode (Kerala) by those they had befriended on the internet.

