Where were the guards? Kolkata gang-rape accused's father demands fair trial
Following the arrest of three men in the gang-rape of a 24-year-old law student at a Kolkata college, the father of the main accused, Monojit Mishra, has raised questions regarding the presence of security guards at the college at the time of the incident."Security guards are supposed to be present round the clock at the college. I came to know from the media that the incident happened inside the security room of the college. Where were the security guards at the time of the incident?," he questioned.advertisement"The matter is currently sub-judice. If proven guilty, Monojit will be punished according to law. I have full faith in the investigation being conducted by Kolkata Police and the judiciary," said Rabin Mishra, the father of main accused Monojit Mishra.
"Such incidents are highly condemnable. Kolkata Police is very efficient and they will conduct a fair investigation," he added.Mishra went on to say that Manojit had moved out of the family home a while back, and ever since, he doesn't see his son very often."I have an elderly mother at home. Manojit's mother is also very ill. But now Manojit no longer lives in this house. There is not much contact with me now," he said.Meanwhile, the survivor recorded her statement before the Chief Judicial Magistrate of the Alipore court on Saturday.advertisementThe medical report of the survivor revealed signs of brutality and forcible sexual intercourse. As per the report, there was an abrasion mark around the survivor's neck along with a few marks on her breasts. The report further added that there were no lacerations (cuts) in her body.It also said that, given the nature of the injury marks found on her body, the possibility of a sexual assault cannot be ruled out either.The student alleged that she was gang-raped on June 25 after she rejected a marriage proposal from the main accused, 31-year-old Monojit Mishra, who is a former student and current general secretary of the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP). Two others -- also students at the college -- stood by and watched the crime unfold.The fourth person, a college security guard, was also arrested in connection with the case for allegedly turning a blind eye to the assault and deliberately not alerting the authorities or the police.- EndsMust Watch
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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Unions a constant presence despite no union election
Kolkata: The campus where the law student was raped was not the only college where unions play a larger-than-life role despite the absence of a formal union. Across Kolkata, there are several colleges where no union exists on paper since union elections have not been held since 2017. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now But the stranglehold of unions remain in these institutions as youths owing allegiance to politicians control different aspects of students' lives. At the law college under the scanner now, Monojit Mishra who had passed out in 2022, held sway over the students affairs though he had passed out in 2022. Though no union election had been held in the college for over eight years, it still had a union with various functionaries. The rape survivor had in her account to the police stated that she was offered the union general secretary's post by Monojit on Wednesday. As it turned out, he had in turn demanded sexual gratification. When she had turned down his advances, he resorted to rape. "In the absence of an elected union, several colleges are in the vice of the likes of Monojit who use their dadagiri to control the lives of students. Since there is on election, these men cannot be dethroned. The education should either do away with the unions completely and replace them with student councils or they should hold union elections," said a student of the law college. Around eight years ago, the state government had framed rules under the West Bengal Universities and Colleges (Administration and Regulation) Act, 2017, which stated that there would be students' councils instead of students' unions, but this hasn't been implemented since student elections were suspended in 2017. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "The students' union was established to look after students' interests on college campuses. The fund, which was formed by collecting money from each student of colleges, could be utilised by the college union for conducting programmes like freshers' welcome, farewell programme, Saraswati Puja, and other celebrations. Gradually, the focus shifted from serving students' interests to personal interests. Local political leaders also got involved in it," said an academic. College principals highlighted that they have no authority to question the utilisation of student funds. One principal said, "The union was defunct for many years. Now, who will utilise this fund and who should be given authority? Principals are in the most vulnerable position dealing with all these troubles while ensuring safety and security." Purna Chandra Maity, a former principal, said, "In every college, a section of students enjoy enormous power due to their political backing. They collect huge amounts of money during admissions even after the online admission system has been implemented. Who will stop them? Students' money should be utilised by union leaders through a teacher appointed by the college, but this was never followed. Now, in the absence of an elected body, who will manage this money? Most college principals are facing trouble due to these sections, as everybody knows. " In the recent past, several complaints were raised against pass-out students trying to acquire power to access this fund. Jogesh Chandra Chaudhuri Law College's student Deshma Ghosh moved to court regarding unwanted interference from Sabbir Ali, who was a former student of Day College. Ghosh said, "Sabbir Ali, who passed out from Day College, and his associates tried to maintain control over the campus. We faced problems as both colleges share the same campus. " A north Kolkata college student said, "Union rooms inside the colleges are dominated by political dadas who may have passed college years ago. Their presence and the power they enjoy inside the campus because of political connections often intimidate other students. I personally never visited the union room because I hardly see any student there. Various antisocial activities happen inside." A source said, "The rape incident at the law college has come to light and the accused have been arrested. But unfortunately, most colleges of the city are controlled by such 'dadas' who are close to power. There are many colleges where girls have been harassed or molested and boys have been physically assaulted on the campus, but unfortunately, complaints were not lodged out of fear." A student of the law college said, "Monojit controlled the college. He decided what cultural activities will take place, if an exam should be postponed or not, and would sort out attendance issues with authority." An insider said, "From North to South, most colleges in the city are controlled by dadas, who passed out several years ago or belong to the neighbourhood. This is because of their political connections and to retain power and control over the college. The union rooms are their free ground and they have free access to every corner of the college and are also part of the decision-making process. The unlimited power that they enjoy often leads them to threaten people, extort money, and intimidate teachers and students. "
India Today
3 hours ago
- India Today
Kolkata gangrape accused had demanded death penalty for RG Kar rapist in post
A Facebook post by Monojit Mishra, the prime accused in the gang-rape of a first-year student at a law college in Kolkata, has gone viral for his earlier demand for capital punishment for had taken to Facebook in August last year following the rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, sharing a video of protests that broke out in the aftermath of the the rapist to be hanged. Want justice and not drama. Want immediate justice. Want death sentence for the culprits,' he had written on August 16, 2024, The irony of the statement has not been lost on social media users, who slammed Mishra's apparent hypocrisy. THE RG KAR CASE THAT SPARKED MISHRA'S POSTThe body of an on-duty trainee doctor was found in the seminar room of the state-run hospital on August 9 last year. An autopsy confirmed she had been sexually assaulted and demonstrations followed, with medical professionals, political parties and activists demanding justice. Within days, Kolkata Police arrested Sanjay Roy, a former civic volunteer, for the crime. He was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Sealdah court on January 20, post demanding justice came during the peak of those protests, and now, in light of his own arrest, has stoked public LAW COLLEGE GANG RAPEMonojit Mishra, a 31-year-old criminal lawyer, alumnus, and contractual non-teaching staff at South Calcutta Law College, was arrested on Wednesday along with students Pramit Mukherjee and Zaid Ahmed on charges of gang her police complaint, the 24-year-old survivor said she went to the college on June 25 to fill out exam forms. She alleged that Mishra raped her after she turned down his marriage proposal, while the other two accused stood guard and recorded the act on their mobile phones.A senior police official said that CCTV footage recovered from the college supported the woman's account. The footage shows movements consistent with the complaint, including the victim being led into the guard's room against her total, four people – including Mishra, his two accomplices, and a security guard – have been arrested in connection with the case. A five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed by Kolkata Police to probe the incident has triggered a political uproar in Bengal, with the opposition BJP accusing the ruling Trinamool Congress's student wing of sheltering violent elements. TMCP has denied any link to the accused and called for strict punishment.- EndsMust Watch
Indian Express
6 hours ago
- Indian Express
The rape incident in Kolkata's law college is a dark moment — it should also be a turning point
The alleged gang rape of a 24-year-old law student inside a Kolkata college campus is not merely a tragic anomaly — it is a grim indictment of a state system that increasingly fails to protect the vulnerable, especially women. Allegedly involving a former Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) leader and taking place in the guardroom near the student union office, this act of brutality unfolded in what should have been a space of safety and community. Only months earlier, a postgraduate trainee at R G Kar Medical College was raped and murdered. While the CBI eventually concluded that it was the act of a lone individual, public outrage and the victim's father's remarks revealed a deeper fear: That institutional spaces in West Bengal are becoming dangerously unsafe, and that politics often shields the guilty. One of the most alarming aspects of the law college incident is the alleged involvement of an ex-TMCP leader — a reminder of how political affiliations can enable a sense of impunity. Even as the ruling party publicly condemned the act and sought distance, its silence on the broader issue of student safety and political interference speaks volumes. West Bengal's crime rate against women in 2022 stood at 71.8 per lakh population, significantly higher than the national average of 66.4. Conviction rates remain worryingly low. While Kolkata has been ranked the 'safest city' statistically, Rekha Sharma, then chairperson of the National Commission for Women, rightly pointed out that underreporting and police inaction — due to political pressure — distort the picture. Student union elections — which once served as a training ground for democratic values — have been suspended in most colleges across the state for over a decade. In their absence, political proxies often fill the vacuum. These unelected groups, backed by ruling-party networks, consolidate informal authority without accountability. This dynamic is especially dangerous in institutions of higher learning, where dissent, student safety, and democratic governance are critical. The Calcutta High Court recently directed the state's higher education department to draw up a roadmap for holding these elections, calling out the long-standing statutory failure. Yet without active political will and monitoring, any such roadmap risks remaining on paper. To understand this ecosystem, political theorist Dwaipayan Bhattacharyya's concept of 'franchisee politics' is instructive. According to him, West Bengal's ruling party sustains itself not only through electoral victories but through territorial micro-control by local power brokers. These 'franchisees' operate under the umbrella of 'Brand Mamata,' delivering services, extracting rents, and managing dissent at the grassroots level. Such franchisees often act outside legal frameworks. In many cases, their power depends not just on their proximity to the party, but on their ability to intimidate, suppress opposition, and monopolise resources. Educational institutions, particularly those lacking independent oversight, become easy targets. In recent years, reports have detailed how TMC leaders or affiliates have issued threats, made misogynistic remarks, or enabled intimidation to silence dissent or critics. This culture, especially when allowed to fester in youth politics, sends a clear message: Loyalty is rewarded, while wrongdoing is rarely punished. While much attention is rightly placed on political complicity, it's vital to also view these incidents through a gendered lens. Sexual violence is not only a political failure but a structural outcome of entrenched patriarchy. When male-dominated institutions — whether political, educational, or legal — treat women's bodies as collateral damage in power struggles, violence becomes normalised. Rape is not just an act of lust or anger; it is often an assertion of dominance, enabled by systemic failures and cultural silence. Unless both patriarchy and political capture are addressed together, safety reforms will remain cosmetic. The safety of students — and of women in general — cannot be restored without urgent and tangible reforms. For one, regular student union elections ought to be reinstated across the state and they should be monitored by independent bodies to ensure legitimacy and transparency. Second, the police must be guaranteed autonomy to investigate cases without political interference. There need to be empowered internal complaints committees and crisis cells in all higher educational institutions, staffed by gender-sensitised professionals. There must also be a public commitment to zero tolerance for politically affiliated violence, with action against those who use party connections to intimidate or coerce. Survivors must also be empowered by improving access to legal aid, mental health support, and fast-track courts. The alleged gang rape in Kolkata's law college is a dark moment — but it should also be a turning point. If West Bengal wishes to remain a state that values education, equity, and justice, it must break the grip of informal power networks and reestablish the rule of law within its institutions. Anything less would betray not just the victims, but the future of its youth. The writer is a political anthropologist and teaches at Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Government College, Kolkata.
