On the evening of June 25, 2025, a 24-year-old law student at South Calcutta Law College in Kasba, Kolkata, was allegedly gang-raped by three men – identified as Manojit Mishra (31), Zaib Ahmed (19), and Pramit Mukherjee (20). The main accused is a former student and has ties with the current ruling party – TMC (Trinamool Congress).
The 55-year-old security guard who was allegedly present at the crime scene was also arrested earlier today, June 28.
According to the victim’s complaint, the college gate was locked, she was taken to the security room, assaulted, and threatened with video-recorded footage to silence her. The accused allegedly proposed to marry the victim and asked her to prove her ”loyalty’ to him and the TMCP.
The police arrested all three accused between June 26 - 27, within 12 hours of the First Information Report (FIR) being filed – and their mobile phones were seized for further examination.
A PTI report said that the evidence found by the police corroborated with the accusations lodged by the victim in her FIR. “There is evidence of forceful penetration, bite marks, and nail scratches on her body. Marks of assaults were also there on and around her neck”, read the report. Further details are awaited.
Nilanjan Das, State General Secretary of All India Trinamool Congress, said in a tweet: “TMC strongly condemns the alleged incident of sexual assault at South Calcutta Law College. All 3 accused have been arrested by KP within 12 hours. Our party stands firm in its commitment to zero tolerance for crimes against women”.
However, many within the party have purportedly distanced themselves from the accused; provoking immense backlash.
The National Commission for Women (NCW) issued an urgent notice to the Kolkata Police Commissioner, seeking a detailed action report and demanding rapid medical, legal, and psychological support for the survivor.
The Education Department has also initiated an inquiry into campus safety procedures, instructing college authorities to review lapses and improve security arrangements
“Yet another brutal reminder of RG Kar?”
Reacting to this tragic incident, Dr Abhinaba Pal, a striking voice from the Abhaya movement, described it as “terrifying” and “a brutal reminder” of the failure to learn from past incidents like the RG Kar Medical College case, while speaking to EdexLive.
“This is really terrifying, especially after what happened at RG Kar nearly a year ago,” said Dr Pal. “The accused had served as the ex-TMCP (Trinamool Chhatra Parishad) leader and is currently a member of the TMC. His political connections raise daunting questions about how much institutional power shields the accused.”
Dr Pal also expressed outrage over revelations that the accused was allegedly appointed as a temporary or contractual employee by the college governing body. “This is shameful. This shows how political power is being used to place individuals with affiliations in key roles – even in educational spaces that are meant to be safe and inclusive. It is deeply unfortunate, but not surprising anymore.”
The law student, according to the police complaint, was not only raped but also brutally beaten with a hockey stick and filmed by the accused, who threatened to release the videos if she reported the crime. The assault reportedly took place inside the guard room of the college and in the presence of campus staff.
“What’s most disturbing is that this happened inside the guard room. It speaks volumes – that a place meant to offer protection became a site of violence,” he said.
“This isn’t just about one crime,” Dr Pal said. “It’s about a pattern. People believed that after the RG Kar case, things would change; that educational institutions would become safer, that the government would be more responsible. But whatever is happening is contrary to it.”
How are political parties reacting?
Adding to the growing chorus of voices demanding justice and institutional accountability, Subhabrato Adhikari, a member of the CWC Working Committee of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), condemned the incident and called for immediate and strict punishment for the accused.
Adhikari said, “This is not an isolated incident but part of a larger pattern of institutional neglect and political cover-up. The crime happened right under the nose of campus security.” ABVP, he said, has launched statewide protests demanding justice and the resignation of responsible authorities.
Adhikari also condemned the TMC’s contention that there is the centre’s laxity in implementing the Aparajita Anti-Rape Bill. “ This is just an attempt to mask the failure of the state government and to divert media attention. The bill is mired in concerns regarding its Constitutional validity and jurisdictional issues, which must first be addressed. This is a blatant move to evade moral responsibility,” he told EdexLive.
Widespread protests erupted across Kolkata, with students from SFI, AIDSO, SUCI, Left parties, and Congress staging rallies at the college and near Kasba police station, even tearing down posters of CM Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee.
As clashes ensued, the RAF (Rapid Action Force) was deployed, causing heavy traffic in the Kasba area.
The recurrence of crimes against women has further inflamed public anxiety over women’s safety in educational spaces and renewed pressure on the state government to ensure accountability.
