BLOOMINGTON, Ind — Twenty-year-old Indiana University student Kalp Patel made his initial court appearance Friday afternoon in Bloomington on charges that he tried to rape a female resident assistant in his dorm room Sunday night.
Patel and his attorney would not speak about the incident as they left the courtroom.
About 10:30 p.m. Sunday night, Patel was allegedly screaming inside his IU dorm room. An RA at the coed dorm told police she was alerted by text and went to check on Patel. She knocked on the door but there was no answer. She waited several minutes, then used a master key to enter the room. She found Patel slumped over his desk. She called 911 for an ambulance.
Then she says Patel suddenly jumped up attacked her. According to court documents, Patel got on top of the woman, strangled her, touched her private areas, and bit her fingers. As she fought off the attack, she was able to call 911 again. IU Police arrived and pulled Patel off the woman.
Patel told police he took two THC-laced gummy bears at the nearby Campus View Apartments, then went back to his dorm room. He says he freaked out and felt like he was in a dream trying to "have fun" with the RA. He said he saw random shapes and two gangsters coming into his room.
In court Friday, the judge read the charges against Patel: attempted rape, strangulation, criminal confinement, sexual battery, battery resulting in bodily injury, resisting law enforcement and a minor in possession of alcohol.
Patel acknowledged he understood the charges. He was ordered to report to the probation office Monday morning. He also signed a protective order agreeing to have no contact whatsoever with the alleged victim. His next court appearance is in Monroe County is scheduled for March 22.
Indiana University says Patel is not allowed to return to the dorm and is banned from the entire Bloomington campus.