Kerala police record statement from IIT-Palakkad attack victim

Coimbatore: The Kasaba police in Kerala on Tuesday recorded the statement from the female engineering student who was assaulted on IIT-Palakkad campus. The student, who underwent a surgery on the right side of her forehead, is currently recuperating in the general ward at a private medical college hospital at SITRA on Avinashi Road in Coimbatore city.A team from the Kasaba police station in Palakkad visited the student at the private hospital on the day and recorded a detailed statement.
According to an official source, the victim told investigators that she had seen a person clad in a blue shirt on the fateful day. Though CCTV cameras are installed in many parts of the campus, there were none on the stretch where the attack occurred. Police suspect the involvement of someone from inside the campus.Palakkad district police chief Ajith Kumar visited the campus and said CCTV footage was being examined. "A special team has been formed, and efforts are on to arrest the accused," he said.According to a press release issued by IIT-Palakkad, the incident occurred around 7pm on Feb 23, when a group of students were walking from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Block to the Kedaram Mess Block. "A final-year BTech girl student, who was slightly behind the group, was suddenly attacked by an unidentified person. She sustained an injury to her forehead. She couldn't identify the assailant," it said.The institute's medical officer immediately reached the spot and administered first aid, before taking her to a nearby private hospital. A CT scan revealed a head injury, and she was referred to the private medical college hospital in Coimbatore. She is currently stable and recovering, and her parents are by her side, the press release said.The Kasaba police have inspected the crime scene and registered a first information report.The institute has, meanwhile, decided to install more CCTV cameras, increase security patrols and advise students to use campus transport for safety.