Bengaluru College Rape Case: No Screams Heard, Students Claim Accused and Victim Were Friends

Bengaluru, October 17, 2025 – A seventh-semester female engineering student at BMS College of Engineering in Basavanagudi has alleged she was raped by a junior in the men’s washroom, leading to his arrest. However, anonymous accounts from students and friends of both parties suggest the two were friends, with no reports of screams or disturbances during the incident, raising questions about the case’s details. The crime scene remains unsealed, according to sources.

The Hanumanthanagar police arrested the accused, a 21-year-old fifth-semester student, on Wednesday on charges of rape. He is currently in judicial custody. The incident is said to have occurred on October 10, but the First Information Report (FIR) was only registered on October 15 under Section 64 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which prescribes punishment for rape.

According to the FIR, the survivor arrived at college around 8:55 AM and informed the accused she would meet him later to collect some items. He reportedly insisted on speaking with her. During lunch break, while she was with friends, the accused called her repeatedly. She went downstairs to meet him, and he allegedly asked her to go to the architecture block on the seventh floor.

The FIR states that upon reaching the seventh floor, the accused attempted to kiss her forcibly. She escaped into the lift and descended to the sixth floor. Near the men’s washroom, he allegedly pulled her inside, locked the door, and raped her between 1:30 PM and 1:50 PM. During the assault, he reportedly took her phone when it rang with a call from a friend and kept it in his pocket. After the incident, the survivor informed two friends. The accused later called her to ask if she needed a pill, but she ended the call.

In her statement, the survivor explained the delay in filing the complaint: “I didn’t tell my parents initially as I was afraid they would be distressed. I was also ashamed. My friends supported me, after which I informed my parents and approached the police seeking action against the accused.”

Police sources cited her distress and fear as reasons for the five-day delay. A mahazar, or reconstruction of the crime scene, was conducted on Thursday. It remains unclear if the floor where the alleged offense occurred has CCTV cameras.

While media reports have largely relied on a police press handout, inquiries with students paint a different picture. One student, speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed the accused and the victim were friends, and “no one heard her scream.” Another student on the same floor during the time of the alleged assault said they heard “no sound or noise of screaming from the girl.”

Students from the floor below echoed this, stating they detected no disturbances. “If the girl was dragged inside the men’s restroom, she would have made noise to save herself,” one added. The unsealed crime scene has further fueled speculation among the student body about the investigation’s thoroughness.

The case has sparked concerns over campus safety at the institution, with calls for better surveillance and protocols. Police have not commented on the anonymous student accounts, and the investigation is ongoing. The college administration has yet to issue a public statement.