Protests erupt across Kolkata over gang rape of law student; parties slam Bengal Government

Protests erupted across Kolkata on Friday (June 27, 2025) after one of the prime accused in the alleged gang rape of a student at the South Calcutta Law College campus, Monojit Mishra, was identified as a Trinamool Congress student leader. Left-backed student groups laid siege to the Kasba Police Station where the case was registered. 

Opposition parties have also slammed the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government, alleging a nexus between ruling party leaders and criminal elements. In response, the Trinamool leaders have gone into damage-control mode.

The two other accused in the case, Zaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukhopadhyay, are students at the same college. Mr. Mishra, 31, had passed had out from the same institute. All three have been arrested and are now in a four-day police custody.

Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari has shared pictures of Mr. Mishra with Trinamool national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, the second-in-command after Mamata Banerjee. 

“This incident is not just a crime; it is glaring proof of the Trinamool’s student leaders tarnishing the sanctity of educational institutions,” Mr. Adhikari said in a social media post, along with multiple photos of the accused with other ruling party leaders. 

Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary Mohammad Salim told The Hindu that the alleged gang rape was not a one-off incident, but a syndrome led by Trinamool goons. “This rape and the previous rape and murder of the female doctor in R.G. Kar Hospital is a sad commentary on the condition of our State under Mamata Banerjee. Here, if you work with the Trinamool, you can get away with anything,” Mr. Salim added. 

He also said that due to lack of student elections, the Trinamool student leaders are able to run a “nexus” inside the college campuses and there was no elected student body to challenge them. 

Damage control 

Shashi Panja, Minister of Women and Child Development and Social Welfare, said the Opposition party’s efforts to politicise the issue were pathetic. “All three accused are behind bars within 12 hours of the complaint. We are with the survivor. We passed the Aparajita Bill 10 months ago unanimously in the Legislative Assembly, but the Bill is not being passed by the BJP. If you support this cause, then support the Bill and get it passed by the President,” Ms. Panja said.

The Aparajita Bill was passed in 2024 after the R.G. Kar incident. It enhances punishments for rape and sexual assault, particularly against women and children, including death penalty for extreme cases. 

Trinankur Bhattacharya, State president of the Trinamool student wing, said that they are not denying their past association with the accused but that does not define the party and its stand. “He was a member in 2019. Forgive us, but we do not know so much astrology that we could predict he would commit such a crime in 2025,” Mr. Bhattacharya added. 

Protests across Kolkata

Student and youth wings of Left parties, including the All India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO) affiliated with the Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI), and Students’ Federation of India (SFI) staged a protest outside the law college. The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), and the student and youth wings of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) laid siege at the Kasba police station. Many of the protestors were also injured in the clashes. 

Protests were also held by BJP and Congress supporters. Many of the protesters clashed with the police and were detained across the city. A huge contingent of police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel were also present on site. 

The incident brought back memories of the R.G. Kar rape and murder that shook the State and the nation 10 months ago in August 2024. The brutal incident raised many questions about women’s safety in educational institutes and workspaces. A civic police volunteer of the Kolkata Police was the prime accused in the case.