A disturbing case has emerged from a Kolkata college campus, where a 24-year-old law student was allegedly gang-raped by three men, including an alumnus and two current students. The incident took a particularly sinister turn when it was revealed that the accused used an inhaler to revive the victim during the assault, seemingly to prolong her ordeal.
According to reports, the survivor suffered a panic attack before the alleged rape occurred. The main accused, Monojit Mishra, then asked a co-accused, Zaib Ahmed, to get her an inhaler. After using the inhaler and feeling somewhat better, the victim attempted to escape, but discovered that the main gate had been locked. She was then forcibly taken to another room where Mishra allegedly raped her while Ahmed and Pramit Mukhopadhyay, the other co-accused, recorded the act.
Public Prosecutor Sourin Ghosal stated in court that when the victim had a panic attack and was struggling to breathe, the accused, instead of taking her to a hospital, provided her with an inhaler so that she would feel better and they could continue to torture her. The police have corroborated the survivor's statement by locating the pharmacy where Ahmed purchased the inhaler, even seizing the UPI payment receipt for ₹350.
The victim's complaint details the horrific events of that day. She was on campus for a political meeting when Mishra asked her to stay back and have sex with him. When she refused and fought back, Mishra allegedly continued to force himself on her, leading to a panic attack. She pleaded with them to take her to Ruby General Hospital or at least get her an inhaler. After using the inhaler, she tried to escape but found the gate locked and the guard unresponsive. Mishra then instructed the co-accused to take her to the guard's room and lock the door with the guard outside, a detail confirmed by CCTV footage.
The survivor recounted that Mishra undressed her and raped her, even showing her naked pictures to blackmail her. She stated that she sustained a head injury during the assault and that she was fighting for her life when Mishra tried to hit her with a hockey stick. She said she was forced to submit like a dead body. After the assault, Mishra allegedly threatened her to remain silent. The survivor then contacted her father and asked him to pick her up from the college.
CCTV footage corroborates the survivor's account, showing the accused dragging her to the crime scene. This directly contradicts Mishra's claim that they had consensual sex. Local media have also confirmed that Zaib Ahmed purchased the inhaler from a nearby pharmacy during the time frame mentioned in the survivor's complaint.
All three accused have been taken into police custody until July 8. Mishra, who is an alumnus and former temporary staff member at the college, along with current students Ahmed and Mukhopadhyay, now face serious charges. Additionally, Pinaki Bandyopadhyay, a college security guard, has been arrested for allegedly ignoring the crime. It has also come to light that Mishra has a history of harassing women on campus, with several women anonymously sharing their experiences of harassment and assault by him. Sources say that he has evaded consequences due to his strong political connections through working for the Trinamul youth wing.
