A civil engineer and her friend were assaulted by a group of youths for protesting lewd remarks hurled at them at Gaighata in North 24-Parganas on Tuesday night, yet again bringing into the spotlight the safety of women in the state.

The woman’s cousin, an assistant professor at Calcutta Medical College, was also attacked when he rushed to the spot with some friends to rescue her. The incident occurred shortly after midnight on the approach road to the railway station in Chandpara, a day after a lady doctor was assaulted at a Uluberia hospital and threatened with rape.

Police have initiated an investigation based on a complaint lodged by the victim, a resident of Chandpara Jhaudanga road, and arrested four persons whose identities are yet to be revealed. The complaint names two accused and mentions several others who are yet to be identified.

According to the complaint, the woman and her male friend were headed to the station from a Kali Puja pandal when a group of goons passed obscene remarks at her.

The woman and her friend stopped to protest, infuriating the ruffians.

“At least four youths attacked us. They thrashed me and my friend and threw stones lying on the tracks at me, injuring my lips. One of them even tried to drag me away. When I resisted, he bit my wrist. I somehow managed to escape and called my cousin, who rushed to the spot within a few minutes with some of his friends, but they too were assaulted,” said the woman in her mid-20s.

Her cousin suffered severe injuries when one of the goons struck his face with a brick, injuring his nose.

“I had rushed to the spot after receiving her call. I saw some goons trying to drag her to a secluded spot. My friends and I tried to stop them, but they attacked us with bricks and stones. As the commotion drew several locals to the scene, the hooligans backed off, threatening us with dire consequences before fleeing,” said the doctor.

Some locals alerted the police, who arrived after the attackers had fled the spot. The victims were taken first to Gaighata police station and then to a local hospital.

The incident has triggered panic and outrage among locals, who have demanded the immediate arrest of the culprits and stronger police action.

“We have begun a probe. We are trying to identify the assailants, who will be nabbed soon,” said an investigating officer of Gaighata police station.

The BJP’s Bongaon district committee president, Bikash Ghosh, said the attack was another instance of lawlessness prevailing in the state.

“The incident once again proves how unsafe women are in Bengal. It also validates the chief minister’s own statement that after midnight, women are not safe in our state. She has been encouraging goons with her irresponsible comments, which have emboldened them to the extent that they did not even hesitate to attack a doctor,” Ghosh said.

CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty said Mamata Banerjee’s rule had emboldened criminals, making the state unsafe for women.

“The goons followed the chief minister’s words to prove her right. She said women are unsafe after 12 at night. The goons made it a reality,” Chakraborty said.

Trinamool leaders declined to comment on the incident.