The city of Kolkata is once again grappling with the aftermath of a heinous crime, as a first-year law student has alleged gang rape within the premises of South Calcutta Law College. The incident, which reportedly occurred on June 25, 2025, has sparked outrage and prompted swift action from the police, who have arrested three individuals in connection with the crime.
According to the victim's complaint, the assault took place inside the college campus, allegedly involving an alumnus and two senior students of the institution. The survivor recounted a harrowing experience, stating that she was forcefully taken to a guard room where the assault occurred. She also alleged that the accused filmed the act and threatened to release the videos if she didn't cooperate. Furthermore, she claimed that she was asked to prove her loyalty to the Trinamool's student wing unit. The woman said she tried to fight back and attempted to escape, but sustained injuries when the accused tried to hit her with a hockey stick.
The arrests were made on Thursday, with authorities seizing the mobile phones of the accused as part of the ongoing investigation. The accused have been identified as Monojit Mishra, an ex-student of the college and a practicing criminal lawyer, and Pramit Mukherjee and Zaib Ahmed, who are current students. Mishra is also allegedly associated with the student wing of the Trinamool Congress.
A crucial element in the investigation is the medical examination conducted on the survivor. A senior Kolkata Police official told PTI that the medical examination corroborated the woman's allegations. The official stated that there was evidence of "forceful penetration, bite marks, and nail scratches" on her body, lending credence to her account of the assault.
The Chief Police Prosecutor, Sourin Ghosal, cited a Supreme Court judgement, emphasizing that all individuals involved in a gang rape case must be held liable, regardless of whether they directly committed the act of rape. He asserted that since the other two individuals assisted in the rape, it is a gang rape case, and they are also accused in the case.
The incident has drawn sharp reactions from various quarters. West Bengal minister Shashi Panja addressed a press conference, assuring that justice would be served and highlighting the swift action taken by the police, who arrested the accused within 12 hours of the complaint being filed. The Trinamool Congress also condemned the incident, asserting that the full weight of the law would be brought to bear on those found guilty.
However, the opposition has seized upon the incident to criticize the state government. West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar pointed out that this was the second incident of sexual assault inside an educational institution in Kolkata in less than a year, drawing parallels with the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College in August 2024.
The case has also triggered protests, with members of the youth wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Bharatiya Janata Party clashing with the police outside the Kasba station.
The court has remanded all three accused to police custody for four days. The police have sought custody to reconstruct the crime scene, conduct medico-legal examinations of the accused, and verify their statements. The investigating officer also informed the court that the accused had allegedly captured obscene videos and photos of the victim on their mobile phones, which need to be verified. The process of the victim submitting a confidential statement before a judicial magistrate is also underway.
This incident has brought back the horrific memories of the rape and murder of an intern inside RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in north Kolkata in August last year.
