Fri Jun 27 16:55:35 UTC 2025: **News Article:**

**Kolkata Rocked by Protests After Law College Gang Rape Allegations Implicate Ruling Party Leader**

**Kolkata, June 27, 2025** – A wave of protests has swept through Kolkata after a student at South Calcutta Law College reported being gang-raped on campus. The incident has sparked outrage, particularly after one of the accused, Monojit Mishra, was identified as a Trinamool Congress (TMC) student leader.

The victim’s allegations have ignited a political firestorm, with opposition parties accusing the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government of fostering a culture of impunity and a nexus between ruling party leaders and criminal elements. Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari shared photos on social media showing Mishra with senior TMC officials, including Abhishek Banerjee, further fueling the controversy.

Alongside Mishra, Zaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukhopadhyay, both students at the same college, have been arrested in connection with the crime. All three suspects are currently in police custody.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary Mohammad Salim condemned the incident as symptomatic of a broader breakdown in law and order under the TMC government, drawing parallels with a previous high-profile rape and murder case at R.G. Kar Hospital.

In response, the TMC has attempted to deflect criticism, with Minister Shashi Panja accusing the opposition of politicizing the issue. Panja highlighted the Aparajita Bill, passed last year to stiffen penalties for sexual assault, but which currently faces delays.

Trinankur Bhattacharya, State president of the Trinamool student wing, acknowledged Mishra’s past association with the party but disavowed any connection to his alleged crime.

Student and youth wings of Left parties, along with BJP and Congress supporters, have taken to the streets in protest, leading to clashes with police and numerous detentions. The Student Federation of India (SFI) staged a massive demonstration, blocking the road in front of Kasba police station demanding swift action and justice for the survivor on July 27, 2025. The protests have also brought back painful memories of the R.G. Kar rape and murder case from August 2024, highlighting ongoing concerns about women’s safety in educational institutions and workplaces.

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