Fourth Arrest in Kolkata Law College Gang-Rape Case; Security Guard Held as Investigation Deepens

A fourth person — a security guard at a government-run law college in South Kolkata’s Kasba — was arrested on Saturday in connection with the alleged gang-rape of a 24-year-old student on the college campus Wednesday evening.

Two students, Zaib Ahmed (19) and Pramit Mukherjee (20), along with college staffer Monojit Mishra (31), were arrested earlier on Thursday. According to police, the latest arrest brings the total number of accused in custody to four.

Timeline and Allegations

The incident reportedly occurred between 7:30 pm and 10:50 pm on June 26, when the woman, identified as the TMCP women’s wing secretary in the college, had visited the campus to submit examination forms. According to her complaint, reviewed by Hindustan Times, Mishra proposed marriage, which she refused, citing she was already in a relationship. Following this, Mishra allegedly attempted to sexually assault her.

The complaint states that Mishra’s associates, Ahmed and Mukherjee, locked the college gate and forcibly took her to the guard’s room. The security guard was allegedly instructed to leave, and CCTV footage reportedly shows him loitering outside, failing to intervene or alert authorities.

Inside the guard’s room, the woman alleges Mishra attempted to rape her. She sustained a head injury during the assault, claiming Mishra also tried to strike her with a hockey stick. She was shown a video clip allegedly recorded on a mobile phone while she was being stripped and was threatened with its circulation on social media.

Aftermath and Arrests

The next day, the survivor informed her family and filed a police complaint at the Kasba police station. She also underwent a medical examination at a state-run hospital. Police have since seized the mobile phones of the accused and secured CCTV footage. Forensic teams have sealed the area for further investigation.

Institutional Response

Vice-principal Nayna Chatterji confirmed that Mishra was appointed around 45 days ago on a contractual basis under instructions from the college’s governing body, which is headed by TMC legislator Ashok Kumar Deb. The BJP alleged Mishra was an active office-bearer of the Trinamool Congress’s student wing, a claim the ruling party has denied, saying he held no official post.

Mishra’s social media profiles suggest he was once the youth wing chief of the TMC in the college.

All three accused arrested on Thursday were remanded to police custody till July 1 by the Alipore court.

Wider Context

This incident comes nearly a year after the rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College on August 9, which sparked massive public protests and demands for institutional accountability across West Bengal.