An attempted rape case has been filed against an unidentified individual after a female student of Jahangirnagar University alleged that an outsider attacked her on campus late last night.

Md Gafrul Hasan Chowdhury, deputy registrar of the university’s security office, filed the case with Ashulia Police Station in connection with the incident.

The incident took place after 11:00pm near the abandoned old Fazilatunnesa Hall and the extended section of Al-Beruni Hall, according to university authorities.

Citing the victim, university security officials said she was walking along a campus road shortly after 11:00pm when an unidentified man began following her. Upon reaching the road beside the abandoned Fazilatunnesa Hall, the man allegedly wrapped a net-like object around her neck and dragged her into a nearby wooded area beside the extended section of Al-Beruni Hall.

Several students passing through the area on a motorcycle heard the victim screaming for help.

Safikul Islam, a Bangla department student from the university’s 43rd batch and one of those who responded, told The Daily Star that they immediately rushed to the scene after hearing the cries.

“When we reached the spot, we found a female student in a distressed state near the bushes,” he said.

The students later informed the university’s security office, after which security personnel and members of the proctorial body arrived at the scene.

The deputy registrar said students informed him of the incident around 11:15pm. “We searched the entire area immediately, but could not find the suspect,” he said.

He added that the victim was taken to the university medical centre for primary treatment, while authorities began reviewing CCTV footage to identify the accused.

“Footage analysis confirmed that the suspect wrapped a net-like object around the student’s neck and dragged her into the wooded area beside the extended part of Al-Beruni Hall. Based on the footage, we have been able to identify the suspect preliminarily,” the deputy registrar added.

JU Proctor A K M Rashidul Alam said university authorities visited the scene immediately after being informed and reviewed CCTV footage.

“After analysing the CCTV footage, we have seen the suspect’s face. From what we could assess, the person involved in the incident does not appear to be a student of the university,” he said.

“We are deeply distressed by the incident that took place on our campus,” he added.