Patna NEET aspirant death: SIT probe, NHRC petition as postmortem report raises questions

However, the police official, while confirming that the medical report from the private hospital mentioned the head injury, said, “It is not clear how the girl suffered the head injury.” He added that the girl died by suicide, but the reason remains unclear. “As far as the hint of sexual assault mentioned in the postmortem report is concerned, the investigation so far suggests that it did not happen in Patna and the hostel, as we checked the CCTV footage from the station to the hostel”.

Furthermore, forensic investigations will play a crucial role, as the post-mortem report from PMCH has already indicated that sexual assault cannot be ruled out, contradicting earlier claims, and this is why the case has been handed over to the SIT. However, the police have sought a second opinion on the report from experts at AIIMS-Patna, which is currently awaited.

Besides, police said that the victim's 127-page medical report from a private hospital stated that the student had sustained a serious head injury. However, the post-mortem report prepared by the medical board at PMCH (Patna Medical College and Hospital) makes no mention of this specific head injury.

Meanwhile, the activists demanded an impartial, high-level inquiry under the supervision of a retired judge to ensure transparency. They also wrote to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court, appealing for judicial intervention to secure justice.

Jha alleged a systematic effort to obscure facts from the outset, pointing to inconsistencies in statements from police, medical professionals, senior officials, and hostel authorities. He further alleged that the girl’s body injuries, combined with circumstantial evidence and medical documentation, suggested a calculated plot to misrepresent the incident as self-inflicted, adds the daily

Moreover, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary has assured a swift investigation in Jehanabad. He stated that the police have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and that those responsible for the student's death will not be spared.

Speaking to the TOI, Choudhary said, "Police have already constituted a special investigation team to probe the incident. The DGP himself is monitoring the investigation. Those involved in her death will not be spared”.

In this case, a dedicated seven-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) is working continuously to gather evidence and clear up any remaining doubts. The SIT team was led by five female police officers, headed by Menka Rani, the Station House Officer of Parsa Police Station in Patna district. Personnel from the local police station in Jehanabad also accompanied the team.

Bihar Police Chief Vinay Kumar directed Patna Range IG Jitendra Rana to investigate the case following allegations of sexual assault by the victim’s family. An FIR has been registered under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and the hostel owner has been arrested to prevent evidence tampering.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, the SIT team also visited the victim's ancestral village in Jehanabad. During this visit, the team recorded statements from family members, classmates, and local residents. Following this, on Monday, the SIT questioned Dr Satish Kumar, the CMD of Dr Prabhat Memorial Hiramati Hospital, where the girl was admitted for three days, and also questioned her maternal uncle.

According to TOI, ADG, CID, Parasnath said on Monday that every aspect of the room was examined and the team collected all the evidence. This evidence is now being subjected to scientific analysis. The DNA report is expected in five to six days. We cannot share the report until the investigation is complete.

Meanwhile, speaking to the TOI, a senior police official, on condition of anonymity, said, “Every possible clue is being investigated to ensure no loopholes remain. The team is visiting all the places where the student visited and questioning people. The police are also trying to find out where the girl acquired three strips of sleeping pills, which were recovered from her hostel room. No arrests have been made so far.”

In addition, technical investigations have been intensified on multiple fronts. CCTV footage from various locations, including the hostel and its surrounding areas, is being thoroughly examined. Cell phone tower location data and call detail records (CDRs) are being analysed in detail. The victim's social media presence, along with other digital footprints, is being carefully reviewed by technical experts.

While the aspirant's father said, "The hostel warden, doctors and certain policemen are hand-in-glove. Action must be taken against them. The hostel authorities offered us money for a compromise, and police personnel threatened us not to speak to the media."