The alleged gangrape of a student at South Kolkata’s Kasba Law College has sparked political outrage across West Bengal, with both the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) trading barbs over the role of student politics, campus safety, and the accused's political connections.
Political reactions intensify
In a controversial statement, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee commented on the limitations of policing student interactions, saying: "I am not an advocate in the incident that occurred at the Law College, but the accused should be arrested. A few men commit this type of crime... But what can be done if a friend rapes his friend? Will the police be there in schools? This was done by students to another student. Who will protect her? This is a government college. Will the police always be there?"
The BJP, meanwhile, launched a scathing attack. Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, said: “Trinamool means thief, Trinamool means rapist. The accused has a picture with Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee. I posted it on X. He is the second-in-command of the party, and no one dares touch him. If I hadn’t posted the image, it wouldn’t have come out. The party is shielding him.”
TMC condemns incident, emphasises swift police action
Earlier, West Bengal Cabinet Minister Shashi Panja had condemned the incident, calling it “deeply disturbing and unacceptable.” She confirmed that all three accused — Manojeet Mishra, Jaib Ahmed, and Pramit Mukherjee — were arrested by the Kolkata Police within 12 hours of the complaint.
"All three individuals involved have been arrested. I want to assure the victim’s family that she deserves full justice," Panja said. She also accused political opponents of attempting to exploit the case: "Those who are politically bankrupt are now trying to politicize this incident through social media."
TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh called for strict punishment, saying: "Sexual violence against women is the most repulsive crime. The accused are monsters. The police must act swiftly."
Ghosh also pointed to the Aparajita Bill, passed by the West Bengal Assembly for stronger punishment in crimes against women, and blamed the BJP for stalling it at the national level.
BJP alleges political cover-up, shares victim's statement
In a counter-attack, BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya shared screenshots of the survivor’s handwritten statement on X (formerly Twitter), accusing the TMC of harbouring criminals through its student wing, Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP).
"This is not just gangrape — it’s politically motivated cruelty. The accused used the TMCP banner to commit the crime. She was beaten with a hockey stick, locked in, and told to prove loyalty to TMC. The guard was sent away. This is a failure of the system."
Malviya said the TMC was “busy protecting its cadres” while the victim and other students sat in protest demanding justice.
Incident Details: Survivor Alleges Rape, Intimidation, and Blackmail
According to the survivor, the incident occurred on June 25, 2025, when she went to Kasba Law College to submit a form. She alleges that Manojeet Mishra, a former student leader affiliated with TMCP, used his influence to call her in the name of student politics. Upon rejecting his romantic advances, she claims he turned violent.
She was allegedly dragged near a washroom, assaulted, denied medical assistance despite a panic attack, and later blackmailed with secretly recorded videos. She was also threatened with harm to her family and boyfriend if she reported the incident.
Sources say Manojeet had earlier worked in clerical roles within the college and had visible political influence, with his name painted on college walls.
Kolkata Police probe underway
The Kolkata Police confirmed the arrests of all three accused and launched an extensive probe, including scrutiny of the role of college security and staff. Authorities assured that justice will be delivered swiftly and sensitively.
