Kolkata Law College Gangrape Was Premeditated, Say Investigators; SIT Uncovers Pattern of Harassment

 KOLKATA — The gangrape of a female student at South Calcutta Law College was not a spontaneous act of violence but a carefully premeditated crime, senior officials from the Kolkata Police confirmed on Monday, citing findings from the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the incident.

Three of the four accused—Monojit Mishra, Pratim Mukherjee, and Zaid Ahmed—are believed to have orchestrated the assault several days in advance. According to investigators, the trio had a known history of sexually harassing female students on campus. The fourth accused is a security guard employed by the college.

“The evidence gathered so far indicates that the assault was planned, and the victim had been targeted from the very day she was admitted to the institution,” a senior police official told PTI, underlining the disturbing extent of the conspiracy.

Preliminary findings suggest the accused had allegedly filmed previous instances of sexual abuse on mobile phones and used those recordings to intimidate and blackmail victims into silence. Authorities are now focused on recovering digital evidence. “We have launched a comprehensive search for video footage, including mobile clips that may have been shared or stored. Raids were conducted at the residences of Mukherjee and Ahmed on Sunday,” the officer added.

Investigators are also probing whether footage of the June 25 assault was disseminated electronically. “We are examining the possibility that video clips were shared beyond the perpetrators' circle. If so, we will identify and question those who may have received them,” the official stated.

The SIT has compiled a list of over 25 individuals—predominantly students—who were reportedly on campus during the evening of the assault. These individuals will be summoned for questioning to ascertain what they may have seen or heard. “Their testimonies will be crucial in reconstructing the events of that evening and determining any potential complicity or negligence,” the officer said.

The horrific incident has sent shockwaves across the city, sparking widespread outrage and raising serious questions about campus safety and institutional accountability. Authorities have pledged a thorough investigation, and the SIT is expected to submit a detailed report in the coming days.