Kolkata gangrape: 'Influential' man told accused to back off: Police
What's the story
The Kolkata Police are investigating a gangrape case that took place on the South Calcutta Law College campus on June 25. The main accused, Monojit Mishra, allegedly reached out to an "influential" person in Deshapriya Park for help on June 26, the day after the incident. However, this person advised him to "back off" after realizing the gravity of the situation.
Pre-meditated act
Accused planned crime in advance
Mishra, along with his co-accused Pramit Mukherjee and Zaib Ahmed, allegedly planned the crime well in advance. Call Detail Records (CDR) accessed by the police showed frequent communication between them before June 25. After the assault on the law student inside security guard Pinaki Banerjee's room, they consumed alcohol there and asked Banerjee to remain silent about the incident.
Post-crime activities
Mishra searched for help after the crime
After the incident, Mishra, Mukherjee, and Ahmed went to a dhaba on EM Bypass for dinner before returning home the next morning. The police said mobile tower data showed Mishra moved across South Kolkata looking for help after the crime. He visited areas like Rashbehari, Deshapriya Park, Gariahat, Fern Road, and Ballygunge Station Road in his search.
Additional allegations
Other women students also victimized
Two female students have also come forward with allegations against Mishra, a former Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) leader. One student alleged that during a college picnic in October 2023, Mishra inappropriately touched her batch-mate and later assaulted another student inside an auto-rickshaw. She also claimed he invited several women students to his flat under various pretenses.