Fourth Arrest Made in Kolkata Law College Gang-Rape Case; Security Guard Held for Negligence
Kolkata Police on Saturday arrested a security guard.
At South Kolkata Law College in connection with the gang-rape of a 24-year-old first-year student. The guard, identified as Pinaki Banerjee, is the fourth person taken into custody in the case that has sparked widespread outrage across West Bengal.
Banerjee was allegedly present during the assault, which took place on June 25 inside the guard room of the college. Police said he failed to intervene despite the victim’s repeated cries for help. Preliminary investigations revealed that the guard acted under instructions from the prime accused and did not report the crime to either college authorities or the police.
“It was his responsibility to ensure student safety and inform authorities, but he did neither,” said a senior officer involved in the investigation. His negligence became evident during questioning, leading to his arrest.
Details of the Crime
According to the student’s complaint, she had gone to campus to submit an exam form when she was forcibly taken to the guard room. There, she was undressed and raped by Monojit Mishra, the alleged mastermind of the assault, who was a former president of the college’s Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad unit. Two other students, Zaib Ahmed (19) and Pramit Mukherjee (second-year), reportedly witnessed the crime but did nothing to stop it.
The survivor also alleged that Mishra recorded the act and used the video to threaten and blackmail her. Medical reports confirmed signs of forced sexual assault, including bite marks and scratches.
The case came to light only on June 28, three days after the incident, prompting a police crackdown. Mishra was arrested on Wednesday, while Ahmed and Mukherjee were detained on Thursday.
Political Fallout
The incident has reignited debates around student safety in West Bengal and drawn intense political reactions. The opposition BJP blamed the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) for the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, pointing to the accused’s links with the party’s student wing.
Union Minister and West Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar stated, “Law and order in the state is collapsing, even under the direct watch of the Chief Minister.”
The TMC, however, condemned the incident and urged that the case not be politicised. West Bengal minister Shashi Panja said the state government stands firmly with the survivor and is committed to ensuring justice.
This case comes close on the heels of the high-profile rape and murder of a postgraduate medical student in Kolkata earlier this year, further intensifying public scrutiny over campus safety and administrative response.
Comments are closed.