When Mamata Banerjee Said a Girl Child Should Not Be Allowed Out at Night

As the West Bengal Assembly election enters the crucial stage of result day on May 4, 2026, the Mamata Banerjee-led government’s aim to retain power for a fourth term remains a lingering question. As of 2 PM, trends suggest that the ruling Trinamool Congress is trailing behind the Bharatiya Janata Party by a margin exceeding 95 seats. 

While the fate of the state will be declared in the coming hours, social media has been buzzing with old videos and footage of the Bengal Chief Minister. Some users on X drew comparisons between Mamata Banerjee’s past and present. ‘The older Mamata Banerjee would have hated her current version. She is a strong opposition leader but a failed head of a ruling party!’ wrote one X user under a video criticising her past remarks on the controversial Durgapur rape case. 

See Also: Durgapur gang-rape case: Police Find Discrepancies in Statements of Accused

On the night of October 10, 2025, a second-year MBBS student was gang-raped near a private medical college in Durgapur, West Bengal. The victim, who was from Odisha, was reportedly outside at around 8:30 PM with a friend when three people began following them. The accused took the student to a nearby forested area, where she was raped. Her family claimed that the victim’s friend had fled the scene and was initially suspected to be involved in the crime. 

A political row erupted after Mamata Banerjee’s remarks on the incident caused widespread outrage among the public. Reacting to the incident, Banerjee asked private colleges to take responsibility. She said, ‘Private medical colleges should also take care of their students, especially the girl child at night. They should not be allowed to go out at night.’ 

Users began pointing out that ‘safety should come from accountability, not restrictions.’ The statement sparked outrage, with the victim’s father comparing Banerjee to Aurangzeb, for which he later apologised to the Chief Minister. He also dismissed Banerjee’s remarks, stating that his daughter was not out after midnight. He said, ‘Despite being a woman herself, she made an insensitive remark suggesting that women should not be out at night.’ 

According to reports, all suspects in the Durgapur rape case were identified within days. The accused are Sheikh Safiqul, Sheikh Nasiruddin, Apu Bauri, Firdous Sheikh, and Sheikh Riazuddin. The Hindustan Times reported that one of the accused was in a relationship with the victim and was later arrested by the police on October 11, 2025.