The city of Kolkata is grappling with outrage and concern following the alleged gang rape of a law student inside the South Calcutta Law College campus in Kasba. The incident, which reportedly occurred on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, between 7:30 pm and 10:50 pm, has led to the arrest of three individuals, sparking political clashes and prompting swift action from the National Commission for Women (NCW).
According to the victim's complaint, the accused lured her to a secluded room on the college premises where the assault took place. The FIR states that one of the accused committed penetrative sexual assault, while the other two aided in the crime. The arrested individuals have been identified as Manojit Mishra (31), a former student of the college and reportedly associated with the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP), the student wing of the Trinamool Congress; Zaib Ahmed (19), and Pramit Mukhopadhyay (20), both third-semester students at the same institution. Mishra is also a practicing criminal lawyer in the Alipore Court and is described as the general secretary of TMCP’s South Kolkata district.
Kolkata Police swiftly responded to the complaint, arresting Mishra and Ahmed on Thursday evening near Talbagan Crossing and Mukhopadhyay from his residence in the early hours of Friday. Their mobile phones have been seized, and the crime scene has been secured for forensic examination. All three accused were produced before the Alipore court and have been remanded in police custody until next Tuesday, July 1, 2025, for further investigation.
The National Commission for Women has taken suo motu cognizance of the case, with Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar writing to the Kolkata Police Commissioner, Manoj Verma, urging a swift and time-bound investigation. The NCW has requested a detailed report on the case within 72 hours, emphasizing the need for the culprits to be booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and for the victim to receive full medical, psychological, and legal assistance, including proper compensation under Section 396 of the BNSS.
The incident has triggered strong political reactions, with the BJP criticizing the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and accusing them of enabling a culture of impunity. BJP leader Amit Malviya took to social media to question if people in the building were "deaf, blind, or just afraid to speak against TMCP?" Union Minister and BJP's West Bengal unit president Sukanta Majumdar claimed that the incident demonstrates that female students are not safe in educational institutions in the state.
The TMC has unequivocally condemned the incident, stating that the full weight of the law will be brought to bear, ensuring the most severe measures are imposed on those found guilty. The party also emphasized the urgent need for the implementation of the Aparajita Anti-Rape Bill to establish a strong deterrent against sexual offenses, emphasizing the necessity for speedy investigations, swift trials, and stringent punishments. TMCP State President Trinankur Bhattacharya demanded exemplary action, stating that if the allegations are true, TMCP will fight for 100 percent legal action and exemplary punishment.
Adding a disturbing layer to the case, the 24-year-old victim stated in her complaint that she was gang-raped after rejecting a marriage proposal from the main accused, Mishra. She also alleged that the assault was filmed and used to blackmail and threaten her. The complainant stated that Mishra pressured her to marry him and threatened to harm her boyfriend and implicate her parents in false cases before confining her inside the college and assaulting her.
This incident has evoked strong reactions and comparisons to a similar case last year, where a post-graduate trainee was raped and murdered inside RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, raising renewed concerns about safety in and around educational institutions in Kolkata.
