Kolkata: The cops on Saturday arrested the 55-year-old security guard of the law college in connection with the gang-rape of a first-year student on the college premises. The accused, identified as Pinaki Banerjee, was arrested after inconsistencies in his answers during intensive questioning that began on Friday.

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Cops claimed he was arrested for “facilitating the crime”.

“The guard of the law college, Banerjee, hails from Khardah but is presently residing at Naskarhat Khalpar Dakshipara, near Mahabir Multi Gym under Kasba PS,” said Rupesh Kumar, Joint CP (crime & traffic).

This is the fourth arrest in the case, following the earlier arrests of three individuals, including the prime accused, Monojit Mishra. According to police sources, the preliminary investigation revealed that the security guard was present at his sentry position outside the guard room at the time of the gang-rape.

Acting on the accused’s instructions or “threats”, as claimed by Pinaki, he left his guard room, leaving the woman alone.

Despite her repeated pleas for help, the guard failed to assist her, police said.

The 24-year-old survivor alleged that the security guard was made to sit outside the room after the main gate of the college was locked. She also said that the college’s main gate was locked during the incident, and although the security guard was present, he did not intervene.

“I packed my things and went outside to escape and saw that they locked the main gate and the guard was helpless and did not help,” the 24-year-old survivor told cops.

Police sources added that it was Banerjee’s responsibility to report the incident to college authorities or the police, but he did neither. “His negligence was established during questioning, following which he was arrested. We are ascertaining if it was his negligence or if he acted the role of a co-conspirator,” said a cop.

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Banerjee was one of the two temporary guards appointed four years ago. Barun Mahali, the permanent security guard, went to the college on Friday afternoon. He said he was absent on June 25. “I was unwell. I don’t know what happened on Wednesday evening,” he said. A college teacher explained to cops that Mahali works during office hours, from 9am to 2pm. “One of the two private security guards (which includes Banerjee) is on duty from 8am to 8pm, and the other from 8pm to 8am.

They were both hired four years ago,” the teacher said. The cops said the other guard will be interrogated, especially “since shifts had to change” in between the crime that reportedly took place between 7.30 pm and 10.50 pm.

The accused was produced at the Alipore court on Saturday, where he was sent to three days of police custody till July 1.