Kolkata: In a significant development in the Kolkata law college gang-rape case, CCTV footage obtained by the police has confirmed that the 24-year-old law student was forcibly dragged from the gate into the college premises by two of the accused, including former student Monojit Mishra. The footage, reviewed by investigators, aligns with the survivor’s statement that she was taken to the guard room inside the campus and raped.
The incident, which occurred on June 25, has already led to widespread public outrage and political backlash. The latest footage, spanning over seven hours, shows the survivor being pulled by her attackers from outside the campus gate and taken inside, where the alleged assault took place. This contradicts the accused’s earlier claim that the sexual encounter was consensual.
Police officials have said the video evidence is central to the ongoing investigation. “The footage leaves no room for doubt. The survivor’s account has been validated through visual proof. It confirms premeditated intent and forceful entry,” a senior officer part of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) told NDTV.
Four people have been arrested in connection with the case: Monojit Mishra, current students Zaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukherjee, and the campus security guard Pinaki Banerjee. While Mishra is the prime accused in the rape, the other two are alleged to have filmed the act, and the security guard is accused of complicity for reportedly locking the gate and failing to intervene.
Investigators have recovered a hockey stick, which the survivor said was used to assault her, along with her clothes and those of the accused. DNA samples have been collected and sent for forensic analysis. Police have also seized digital devices from the accused that contained clips of the assault, allegedly used to blackmail the survivor.
The SIT, now expanded to nine members, is conducting a detailed reconstruction of the crime scene. Statements of the survivor and her parents have been recorded before a magistrate under Section 164 of the CrPC.
Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women (NCW) visited the campus on June 29 and expressed concern over the lack of safety infrastructure. The Commission also noted that the college authorities failed to report the incident promptly and called for institutional accountability.
Political reactions continue to intensify. Several student groups have staged protests in Kolkata, demanding a court-monitored investigation. The Calcutta High Court is expected to hear petitions seeking a CBI probe, with one of the judges describing the incident as “barbaric and beyond comprehension.”
The survivor, who remains under medical observation, has been relocated for safety. Psychological counselling has also been arranged.
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