Patna NEET Aspirant death case: 2 police officers suspended as forensic report flags sexual assault
Patna: In the ongoing investigation into the death of a NEET aspirant in Patna, the Patna Police recently 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.
Earlier, the medical board of AIIMS Patna, which is reviewing the post-mortem report and other circumstances related to the case, recently stated that the SIT probing the case 'has not yet provided it with all the important documents'.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Medical Board chief Dr Binay Kumar (Professor of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology), AIIMS Patna, said, "We have not yet been provided with all the important documents related to the case by the SIT... on the basis of which we can draw any conclusions or give our opinion on the case”.
"The documents that the SIT has provided to the board are not sufficient... We are still waiting for some more important documents. The SIT is investigating the case, and the medical board has also started examining the documents”, quotes PTI
He also said, "The board comprises five senior doctors from different departments of AIIMS...and we are examining the documents that have been provided to us. If necessary, we will add more senior doctors to the panel”. However, Dr Kumar refused to give details about the documents that have not been provided to the medical board by the SIT so far.
Meanwhile, the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) had also submitted its biological report to the police, which indicated the possibility of sexual assault on the victim. The report revealed the presence of male semen on the clothes the student was wearing when she was admitted to the hospital, as per TOI report.
On this, a senior police officer, on the condition of anonymity, said that the FSL report points towards sexual harassment.
According to TOI media news, an FSL source said that semen has been found in the leggings, which have been handed over to the police team, which showed that something wrong has happened with the girl. There is a strong possibility of sexual harassment. However, the exact time of the incident cannot be determined from this report alone. "DNA profiling is still pending. If the sperm sample has not been spoiled, a DNA profile can be prepared, which can tell whether one or more individuals were involved," he said
The report also highlighted injuries to her private parts and nail scratches on her body. This revelation confirms earlier post-mortem observations at Patna Medical College Hospital, where injuries potentially associated with sexual violence were detected, and assault could not be ruled out.
On Sunday, the Patna Police released a press statement. According to the statement, the suspension of the 2 police officers is a result of delayed action and failure to collect intel in a timely manner. Senior officers of the Patna Police suspended both officers on these grounds.
The 18-year-old student, a resident of Jehanabad, was found unconscious in a private girls' hostel in Patna's Chitragupt Nagar earlier this month. She died during treatment at a private hospital on January 11.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Patna court had rejected the bail application of the hostel owner accused in the death of a teenage student who was preparing for the NEET. Meanwhile, investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the case.
Meanwhile, the Bihar State Women's Commission had taken suo motu cognisance of the matter. On Wednesday, January 21, Chairperson Professor Apsara visited the deceased's hometown, Jehanabad, to meet with the family and assess the situation on the ground.
