Earlier this week, a woman was reportedly gang-raped at a law college in Kolkata. Three men have been arrested in connection with the incident, which has sparked strong reactions and follows a similar crime at a medical college that triggered protests in the city and across the country over six months ago. The three suspects were presented in court on Thursday and have been placed in police custody for five days.
The complaint states that a woman was gang-raped on Wednesday between 7:30 PM and 10:50 PM within the South Calcutta Law College campus. Following her report, an investigation led to the arrest of three individuals, including two students and a staff member. The staff member, a former student of the college, is currently a student wing leader for the ruling Trinamool Congress. All three were apprehended between Thursday evening and late at night.
According to police sources speaking to India Today TV, the 24-year-old survivor arrived at the college around noon on Wednesday to complete examination-related paperwork. She reported that she initially waited in the college union room. Later, the main accused allegedly ordered the locking of the main gate, and she claimed she was raped inside the security guard's room on campus.
The FIR, based on the woman's complaint, identifies the main suspects as Monojit Mishra, 31, a former student and the current general secretary of the South Kolkata district of the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP); Zaib Ahmed, 19, a first-year student; and 20-year-old Pramit Mukherjee, also a student.
In her statement, the woman reported that Mishra had proposed marriage to her, but became angry when she declined, explaining that she was in a relationship. She recounted to the police that the accused forcibly confined her in a room, threatened to kill her and her boyfriend, and had her parents arrested.
"I begged him for mercy, but he wouldn’t let me go... They dragged me to the guard room, stripped me, and began to assault me," she detailed in her complaint.
The woman also stated that the accused filmed the incident and threatened to release the videos if she did not comply. She recounted her attempts to resist and escape, during which she was injured when one of the assailants struck at her with a hockey stick.
On Thursday evening, two of the suspects, Mishra and Ahmed, were apprehended at a traffic signal in the Kasba area of south Kolkata, where their mobile phones were confiscated. The third suspect, Mukherjee, was arrested at his home around 12:30 am on Thursday, and his mobile phone was also taken into custody.
A preliminary medical examination of the woman has been completed, and statements from several witnesses have been collected. The crime scene has been secured and will remain so until the forensic examination results are available.
The incident has ignited a significant political conflict between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP. Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee acknowledged the shamefulness of the event but stated that it is not feasible to deploy police in colleges or educational institutions. He emphasized, "It is the responsibility of male colleagues to protect their female counterparts. Some disturbed individuals commit these crimes. Strict action must be taken against them. Women should stand up against such behaviour. Even in government colleges, the administration should be held accountable. Deploying police in colleges is not a viable solution. Those who are out and about should consider who they are associating with," Banerjee added.
In response to the incident, Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, launched a fierce critique of the government, asserting, “The police are entirely to blame for this! The entire Kolkata Police has been sent to Digha for the Rath Yatra. What is the Kolkata Police doing there? The Chief Minister has no right to remain in office. We will address this issue.”
Amit Malviya, head of the BJP IT Cell, described a recent incident as "horrific" in a post on X. He reported that the crime involved a former student and two college staff members, and he suggested that a member of the TMC was also implicated. Citing a recent incident at RG Kar hospital, Malviya claimed that crimes against women are rampant in West Bengal and criticized the Mamata Banerjee-led government for creating a "nightmare for women" in the state. He expressed the BJP's support for the victim's family and emphasized their commitment to ensuring that all those responsible are held accountable.
Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim commented, "This is an extremely serious matter. I am not yet informed about the details, so I will get an update from the police and then address the situation."
