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The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken ‘suo-motu cognisance’ of the alleged gang-rape of a first year law student at South Calcutta Law College in Kolkata’s Kasba area on June 25, 2025, and has directed the Kolkata Police to submit a comprehensive report within 72 hours. The incident, involving three accused—two current students and a former student with reported ties to the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC)- has sparked widespread outrage and political controversy.
In a letter to Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma, NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar expressed deep concern over the incident, which occurred between 7:30 pm and 10:50 pm on the college premises. The NCW has called for a time-bound investigation under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), emphasising the need for immediate action to ensure justice. The commission has also urged the police to provide the survivor with comprehensive support, including medical and psychological care, legal assistance, and compensation under Section 396 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
“This shocking incident demands urgent and thorough investigation to ensure the perpetrators face stringent punishment,” Rahatkar stated in a post on X.
The Kolkata Police acted swiftly, arresting the three accused- Manojit Mishra (31), Zaib Ahmed (19), and Pramit Mukhopadhyay (20), within 24 hours of the complaint filed on June 26. The arrests were made based on the survivor’s statement, which detailed the assault in the college’s guard room after the main gate was locked. The police have seized the accused’s mobile phones, conducted a medical examination of the survivor, and secured the crime scene for forensic analysis. The accused were produced before the Alipore court and remanded to police custody until July 1, 2025.
The incident has reignited debates over women’s safety in educational institutions, particularly following the RG Kar Medical College rape-murder case in August 2024. Opposition parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have criticised the TMC led state government, alleging a collapse in law and order. The law student has underwent medical examination, reports are awaited. In her complaint she has alleged sexual assault and physical torture at the hands of Manojit Mishra, whom she had identified in her complaint letter as “influential TMCP leader”.
