A former student allegedly linked to the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) and two current law students were arrested for allegedly gang raping a law student inside the campus of South Calcutta Law College in Kasba on Wednesday, June 25, reports the New Indian Express.
According to the complaint filed by the survivor, the incident occurred between 7:30 p.m. and 10:50 p.m. within the college premises.
Based on her statement, the police arrested three individuals. One of the accused is a former student of the college, while the other two are current third-semester students. Two of them were arrested on Thursday evening, while the third was taken into custody at midnight.
Police sources revealed that the prime accused is Manojit Mishra (31), a former student of the institution. The other two accused are Zaib Ahmed (19) and Pramit Mukhopadhyay (20). All three were produced before the Alipore court and remanded to police custody until July 1.
Following the news, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee cut short her visit to Digha and returned to Kolkata on Friday evening after attending the Rath Yatra celebrations. She had initially planned to return on Saturday.
Sources said Mishra is associated with TMCP, the students’ wing of the Trinamool Congress. On his Facebook profile, he has identified himself as the organisational secretary of TMCP’s South Kolkata District. He is also a practising criminal lawyer at Alipore Court. The two other arrested individuals are also reportedly associated with TMCP.
Reacting to the allegations, TMCP State President Trinankur Bhattacharya said, “Whether anyone from Trinamool is involved in this incident or not, I demand exemplary action. The person against whom this allegation is made is currently an employee of the college. He is not associated with the student council. If this incident and allegation are true, TMCP will fight for 100 percent legal action to be taken against him and exemplary punishment to be meted out.”
Later that evening, during a press conference, he added, “For the last few years, TMCP has had no running unit in that college. When Mishra was a student of that college, he held the post of organisational secretary of TMCP’s South Kolkata District. However, his name was excluded from the committee since it was reconstituted in 2022.”
Unequivocally condemning the tragic rape incident, the Trinamool Congress posted on X: “@KolkataPolice have swiftly apprehended all 3 accused, and the full weight of the law will be brought to bear, ensuring the most severe measures are imposed on those found guilty. This tragedy once again underscores the urgent need for the implementation of the Aparajita Anti-Rape Bill to establish a strong deterrent against sexual offences, emphasising the necessity for speedy investigations, swift trials, and stringent punishments.”
“It is extremely unfortunate that the @BJP4India Govt. at the Centre has not lifted a finger to get it implemented,” the post further added.
Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women has taken suo motu cognisance of the case and has directed the Kolkata Commissioner of Police to submit a report within 72 hours.
BJP leader Amit Malviya also took to X, criticising the ruling Trinamool Government over the incident.
“If reports are to be believed, the girl was taken to a bathroom first, then dragged into a room after screaming. If that’s the case, was everyone in the building deaf, blind, or just afraid to speak against TMCP? Let TMCP immediately come out clean on these allegations!” he wrote in his post.
Demanding the immediate arrest and punishment of all the accused, he added, “This incident isn’t isolated, it reflects the TMC’s failure to protect women and their dangerous student politics that treats campuses like crime zones.” Malviya also posted three pictures of Mishra with Trinamool leaders.
Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly Suvendu Adhikari said in his post on X, “This incident is not just a crime, it is a blatant proof of the corruption of educational institutions by the leaders of the Trinamool Congress student wing. Such atrocities in a sacred place like a college campus, where students come to gain knowledge, is shameful for our society.” He further added, “The Trinamool student leaders are repeatedly abusing their power to create an atmosphere of fear and anarchy in educational institutions.”
In response, the Trinamool Congress stated that the state administration, under the leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, was committed to providing every possible form of support and assistance to the victim during this distressing time.
Taking a dig at the BJP, the party posted on X, “While @BJP4India leaves NO STONE UNTURNED to SHIELD RAPISTS, AITC has consistently stood firm – condemning such heinous crimes, taking swift action, and demanding the strictest punishment. Lauded by all, the Aparajita Bill was introduced as a crucial step to ensure a stronger legal framework for women. But today, the Bill lies ignored, gathering dust with the BJP-led Central Government.”.
All three accused were produced before the Alipore court on Thursday, says the report. Police had sought 14-day custody, but the court remanded them in police custody until next Tuesday.
Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim said he would seek a detailed briefing from the police before commenting further.
The incident comes less than a year after a post-graduate trainee was raped and murdered inside RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in August last year, raising renewed concerns about safety in and around educational institutions.
Left students clash with police over ‘gangrape’
Clashes broke out between police and members of SFI and DYFI — Left wing student and youth organisations — after security personnel exercised force to remove them from protesting outside Kasba police station over the alleged gangrape of a student on a South Kolkata college campus.
Multiple agitators were reportedly injured in the scuffle and police said that an unknown number of demonstrators were detained and taken to Lalbazar, headquarters of the city police.
Nasty scenes of scuffles and fistfights broke out as a large contingent of lathi-wielding police and RAF personnel, led by Jadavpur Division DCP Bidisha Kalita Dasgupta, tried to remove agitators who had blocked Rajdanga Main Road in Kasba, disrupting traffic while attempting to lay siege to the Kasba police station.
Demonstrators were seen trying to grab batons from the hands of policemen. The protestors also tried to snatch some of their colleagues from the grips of police personnel when they were being apprehended.
Police also chased the protestors over significant distances on the road to disperse them.
The protestors had gathered in large numbers outside the Kasba PS where a student of the local South Calcutta Law College was allegedly gangraped inside institution premises on Wednesday.
Earlier, DC Jadavpur, in a post on X, asserted that the police acted decisively on the accused perpetrators of the crime and was carrying out the investigation with utmost seriousness.
“Kasba police responded swiftly and decisively to a complaint of sexual assault involving a female law student in Kasba. An FIR was registered without delay, and within 12 hours, all three accused named in the complaint were apprehended. They have been remanded to police custody till 01.07.2025,” the DC wrote.
“The investigation is being pursued with utmost seriousness, professionalism and sensitivity. We appeal to the public and digital platforms to refrain from circulating unverified or misleading content that could hinder the judicial process or compromise the dignity of those involved,” she added.