POSCO invoked in Patna NEET Aspirant death case as SIT intensifies probe
Patna: In the ongoing investigation into the death of a minor NEET aspirant, who died during treatment at a private hospital, investigators in Patna have intensified their efforts to identify the main accused in the case.
Relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act have recently been invoked in this case.
So far, blood samples have been collected from the owner of the girls' hostel and others associated with the premises. Previously, samples were taken from 11 other people in Jehanabad, including five family members, i.e. her mother, father, two uncles, and brother, primarily to create reference profiles and rule out familial connections.
In addition, samples were also taken from six young men who regularly visited or were associated with the hostel. According to a TOI media news report, police sources said that some of these individuals were present in or around the hostel at the time of the incident.
Meanwhile, a senior official said that in total, 19-20 samples were collected from people who had come into contact with the girl before she was found unconscious in her hostel. The 18-year-old student from Jehanabad was found unconscious in a private girls' hostel in Chitragupta Nagar, Patna, earlier this month. She died on January 11 while undergoing treatment at a private hospital.
The officer stated that the official age certificate submitted by the family proved the victim was a minor (17.5 years old), following which charges of rape and murder under the Indian Penal Code, along with relevant POCSO Act sections, were added. Given the presence of semen and the evidence of injuries indicative of sexual assault found during the post-mortem examination, DNA matching has become a crucial part of the investigation at this stage. The Special Investigation Team considers the forensic results vital in identifying the accused.
Additionally, the CID team had also recently visited the victim's home in Jehanabad. The team questioned them about her medical treatment and medications from the family members and collected copies of the prescriptions for investigation. However, the victim's father expressed concern about the repeated visits and the collection of samples from the family members.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Patna Police suspended two police officers. The suspended officers are the station house officer of Chitragupta Nagar police station and the additional station house officer of Kadamkuan police station.
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