Marks Around Neck, Chest: NDTV Accesses Kolkata Rape Case Medical Report

NDTV

2 days ago

Kolkata:
The medical examination of the 24-year-old law student who was allegedly raped inside a law college in Kolkata on June 25 has confirmed multiple signs of physical assault. NDTV has accessed the medical report, which mentions abrasion marks on the victim's neck and chest. While no external genital or oral injuries were observed, doctors have not ruled out sexual assault pending forensic confirmation.
The examination was conducted at 10 pm on June 26 at the National Medical College in Kolkata. Three swabs were collected during the procedure and sent for forensic testing. A urine pregnancy test conducted as part of the medical procedure returned negative.
The Arrests
Kolkata Police confirmed on Saturday that a fourth individual, a security guard posted at the South Calcutta Law College, had been arrested in connection with the case. According to the police, the guard's responses during questioning were "incoherent and inconsistent." CCTV footage captured him on the premises at the time of the incident.
With this arrest, the total number of people taken into custody stands at four: the guard, an alumnus of the college and Trinamool Congress-linked Manojit Mishra, and two current students. All three men accused of directly participating in the crime are now in police custody.
The assault reportedly occurred in the guard's room after he was allegedly forced to vacate by the accused. The room, along with the adjacent student union office, has been sealed by police as part of the ongoing investigation.
Details From Survivor's Complaint
In her statement to the police, the survivor said she was targeted shortly after a meeting of the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP), the student wing of the ruling party. According to her, three individuals cornered her at approximately 7:30 pm.
She recounted that two of the men locked her in a room with the third, who attempted to rape her. Despite pleading and resisting, she alleges that he forcibly undressed and raped her while the others stood guard. She said she was also threatened with harm to her boyfriend and family if she disclosed the assault.
"I kept saying, 'I can't do this. I have a boyfriend, I love him.' But he wouldn't listen. I touched his feet and begged him to let me go," the survivor told police.
She also reported having a panic attack during the ordeal, at which point the accused were said to have brought her an inhaler. She used the inhaler and briefly attempted to escape, but was caught again and taken into the guard's room where the rape allegedly continued.
According to her complaint, she was struck on the head with a hockey stick during the assault. She stated the accused released her around 10:50 pm, again warning her to remain silent.
Political Row
The incident has escalated into a major political controversy. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused the ruling TMC of shielding the main accused, Manojit Mishra, pointing to his past leadership role within the college's TMCP unit.
Photographs circulated on social media appear to show Mishra alongside senior TMC leaders, including Lok Sabha MP and party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, who is also the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
TMC has admitted that Mishra had previous affiliations with its student wing but distanced itself from him in light of the allegations.