Sikkim professor arrested for alleged rape in Gangtok

An assistant professor of a university in Gangtok has been arrested for allegedly raping a 21-year-old woman, police said on Saturday, December 20. 

The accused, whose identity has not been disclosed, was taken into custody following a complaint lodged by the survivor at the Sadar police station.

According to the police complaint, the woman, a native of West Sikkim, had befriended the accused through social media. She alleged that the man repeatedly insisted on meeting her and, despite her reluctance, she eventually agreed to meet him. The incident reportedly took place in the Lingding area of Gangtok on December 6.

Police said the survivor alleged that she was raped during the meeting. Following the incident, she fled the spot and later approached the police, citing trauma, lack of parental support, and concerns over her ongoing examinations as reasons for the delay in filing the complaint.

Based on her statement, police registered a case and arrested the accused on Friday. He was subsequently produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody. A police officer said further investigation is underway to ascertain the sequence of events and collect additional evidence.

The incident has once again raised concerns over women’s safety and the misuse of social media platforms to exploit vulnerable individuals.