Mango' Mishra Used TMC Shield to Harass Students

Kolkata college rape case exposed political-criminal nexus, igniting outrage over TMC links and student safety.

- SUPROTIM MUKHERJEE

Less than 11 months after the horrific rape-murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata's R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, another rape - that of a first-year law student in a city college - had laid out in full public view the connections between the perpetrators and the ruling Trinamool Congress.

Monojit 'Mango' Mishra, the prime accused, aged 31, is an alumnus of South Calcutta Law College (which is affiliated to Calcutta University) and a criminal lawyer at Alipore Court. Based on the approval by the Governing Body of South Calcutta Law College, he was appointed as a "temporary staffer" in his own college.

The president of the governing body is a long-time TMC MLA Ashok Deb, who is also the chairman of the Bar Council of West Bengal. The Bar Council's rules prohibit advocates from pursuing any other job or vocation, but when asked about this anomaly, Deb said that "it was the right of people who worked for the party for years".

Mishra wielded absolute power in the college and his word was law. The acting principal was known to follow his dictates. Even the footage from security cameras were made accessible to him.

Mishra was reportedly linked to the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP), the student wing of the ruling TMC in West Bengal. He is said to have held positions such as vice president and organisational secretary of the TMCP South Kolkata District during his student years, though the party claims he was ousted from leadership roles in 2021 and 2022 due to rowdy behaviour.