Kolkata Rape Case: ‘I held his legs, but the beasts did not listen; I even made a video’, the story of the Kolkata incident

A law student of a college in south Kolkata was allegedly gangraped in the campus security guard’s room on Wednesday evening. The student was offered a key position in the union. Police have arrested Manojit Mishra, a former student and ad-hoc employee of the college, and current students Pramit Mukherjee and Zaib Ahmed after confirming the victim’s complaint. Manojit Mishra was expelled from the college’s Trinamool unit in 2021 and took up law practice after he graduated in 2022. However, he had recently returned to the college as an ad-hoc non-teaching staff. Pramit Mukherjee, a first-year student, and Zaib Ahmed, a second-year student, are considered close to Manojit Mishra. The victim is a resident of South 24 Parganas town and commutes to the college every day. The incident took place on the campus between 7.30 pm and 10.50 pm on Wednesday. The 24-year-old victim is also active in campus politics. She is said to be a Trinamool supporter.

She told the police that she had gone to the college to fill the examination form on Wednesday. Most of the students left after the process, but Manoneet Mishra asked her and seven other students to stay in the union room, where she was offered biscuits and an important post in the union. The victim said that she was fully dedicated to the college union and was ready to work for the unit, after which Manoneet Mishra took her out of the union room and proposed marriage. The victim flatly rejected the proposal, after which she was forcibly taken to the guard’s room.

The victim’s complaint states, “I touched his feet, but he did not let me go. They forcibly took me to the guard’s room, removed my clothes and raped me.” The victim also said that the accused recorded the video of the act and threatened that they would make it viral if she went to the police. The victim tried to fight and run away, but was hit with a hockey stick. She was let go only when she complained that she was having panic attacks and was short of breath. She pleaded to be taken to a hospital, but the monsters ignored it. She was only allowed to use the inhaler kept in her bag. She was finally released at 10.50 pm. She called her father, who took her home.

The accused has been sent to police custody till July 1

The victim lodged a complaint with the Kasba police on Thursday. Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime and Traffic) Rupesh Kumar said, “Preliminary medical examination was conducted at Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital, statements of witnesses were recorded.” Additional Commissioner of Police Santosh Pandey and Deputy Commissioner of South Suburban Division Bidisha Kalita visited the crime scene on Friday evening. Manoneet Mishra and Zaib Ahmed were arrested near Kasba PS at 7.30 pm on Thursday. Pramit Mukherjee was arrested from his house after midnight on Friday. The police have seized the mobile phones of the three. The secret of the videography of the sexual assault may be revealed from these mobile phones. The crime scene has been secured for forensic examination. The accused were produced in Alipore Court on Friday and remanded to police custody till July 1.

“Medical evidence confirms the woman’s statement,” government lawyer Sorin Ghoshal told the court. The college principal said the college cannot escape responsibility though the incident happened more than three hours after classes ended. Calcutta University vice-chancellor Santa Dutta Dey said the teacher-in-charge of the college has been asked to submit a detailed report and the university will set up a fact-finding committee by Tuesday.

The Kolkata Police later released a social media statement, praising the local police station for its quick and decisive response to the complaint. It said, “The investigation is being conducted with seriousness, professionalism and sensitivity. We appeal to the public and digital platforms to refrain from broadcasting misleading content. It may hamper the judicial process. It may compromise the dignity of the victim.”