A 21-year-old engineering student has been arrested for allegedly raping a female classmate inside a men's washroom at a private college in South Bengaluru. The incident reportedly took place on October 10, and the accused, identified as Jeevan Gowda, was taken into custody on Wednesday. He has been remanded to judicial custody.

The survivor, a seventh-semester student, filed her complaint five days later, on October 15. According to the police, the two students were familiar with each other as they were classmates. On the day of the incident, the survivor met Gowda to retrieve some personal belongings. During the lunch break, he called her multiple times, asking her to meet him near the architecture block on the seventh floor.

When she arrived, Gowda allegedly attempted to kiss her forcibly. As she tried to escape using the lift, he followed her to the sixth floor, where he reportedly dragged her into the men's washroom, locked the door, and raped her. The survivor claimed that during the assault, Gowda took her phone to prevent her from communicating with her friends.

After the incident, she confided in her friends, who encouraged her to inform her parents. Later, the accused allegedly called her, asking, "Do you need a pill?" Initially hesitant to report the crime due to fear and distress, she eventually told her parents, leading to the filing of a complaint at the Hanumanthanagar police station.

The case has been registered under Section 64 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deals with punishment for rape. Police are currently investigating the matter, although the absence of CCTV cameras at the crime scene may complicate evidence collection. Authorities are examining forensic and digital evidence to support the case. The incident has sparked significant outrage in Bengaluru, with political parties criticizing the state government for the perceived decline in law and order.