Kolkata law college rape: All 4 accused taken for crime scene reconstruction

Kolkata: Police on Friday conducted a detailed five-hour reconstruction of the crime scene at South Calcutta Law College in connection with the alleged gang rape of a 24-year-old law student. The incident, which occurred on June 25, has sparked widespread outrage across West Bengal.

Early in the morning, around 4:30 am, a team of senior police officers brought the four accused—alumnus and contractual staff member Monojit Mishra, current students Pramit Mukherjee and Zaib Ahmed, and security guard Pinaki Banerjee—to the college campus in Kasba. The reconstruction aimed to retrace the events leading up to the crime.

“The reconstruction of the crime scene is a vital part of the investigation. The task was completed today,” a police officer told PTI. After the exercise, the accused were taken back to the police station. “Our findings will now be cross-checked with the survivor’s statements and other evidence,” the officer added.

According to police, the survivor was raped by Mishra in a room used by the security guard, with help from Mukherjee and Ahmed. Medical reports and circumstantial evidence have so far supported the student’s allegations.

The survivor described a climate of fear on campus, claiming Mishra harassed female students, took their photographs, morphed them, and circulated them on WhatsApp. “There was so much intimidation that students were scared to attend classes,” she told NDTV.

Mishra, who had earlier ties to the ruling Trinamool Congress, has 11 prior cases against him, mostly related to harassment of women. He had been out on bail. College authorities have since terminated his employment, which had been based on a recommendation by the governing body.

Records show Mishra was admitted to the college in 2013 but was rusticated the same year after being charged with stabbing a youth on Chetla Bridge.

The court has extended police custody of Mishra and the two students until July 8, while the security guard will remain in custody until Friday. Mishra’s father, Robin, declined to comment directly, saying, “This is a subjudice matter. No citizen who believes in the Constitution must comment on this.”