In a recent development in the Kolkata law college gang-rape case, a security guard from the South Kolkata law college has been arrested, marking the fourth arrest in the case. The guard, identified as 55-year-old Pinaki Banerjee, was taken into custody after a 24-year-old law student filed a police complaint alleging she was gang-raped on the college premises on June 25.
The arrest of Banerjee follows the apprehension of three other individuals: Monojit Mishra, Zaib Ahmed, and Pramit Mukhopadhyay. Mishra is reported to be a 31-year-old former student of the college and now a practicing lawyer. Ahmed is a 19-year-old first-year student, and Mukhopadhyay is a 20-year-old student. All three were previously arrested in connection with the case and remanded to police custody.
According to reports, the victim alleged in her complaint that she was not only sexually assaulted but also filmed, beaten with a hockey stick, and blackmailed with the threat of the assault video being leaked online. She further stated that Mishra, the prime accused, threatened to kill her boyfriend. The law student claimed that Ahmed and Mukhopadhyay also sexually assaulted her, leaving her injured. The alleged gang-rape occurred on Wednesday evening between 7:30 PM and 10:50 PM inside the law college premises.
Banerjee, the security guard, is accused of negligence in his duty. He allegedly failed to help the victim despite her pleas and did not report the incident to the authorities. The victim also stated in her complaint that the accused locked the main gate of the college, and the guard was helpless.
The incident has sparked political debate, with the BJP questioning the safety of women in West Bengal. The case has also brought back memories of a similar incident last year involving the rape and murder of an intern inside RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Following the arrests of Mishra, Ahmed, and Mukhopadhyay, their mobile phones were confiscated and sent for forensic analysis. Results of the medical examination conducted on the victim corroborated her gang-rape allegation, according to a senior Kolkata Police officer. The lawyer for Mishra has denied his client's involvement, claiming the allegations are baseless and politically motivated.
