Patna NEET aspirant death: SIT probe, NHRC petition as postmortem report raises questions
Bihar: An 18-year-old NEET aspirant was recently found dead in a girls' hostel in Patna, with police initially stating that she died by suicide. Subsequent developments have led to further scrutiny of the case, following observations in the post-mortem report from PMCH that sexual assault could not be ruled out.
According to recent TOI reports, a human rights activist has approached the National and Bihar State Human Rights Commissions, citing inconsistencies between medical records and the initial police assessment. While a private hospital report referred to a head injury, the post-mortem findings did not clearly record the same, prompting questions and a request for a second medical opinion from AIIMS-Patna.
Additionally, the case has now been handed over to a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is examining forensic, medical and technical evidence, including CCTV footage, call detail records and DNA analysis. Statements of family members and others connected to the case are also being recorded.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported about the tragic incident. The student, who was preparing for the medical entrance examination to improve her rank after qualifying earlier for a dental course, was found unconscious in her hostel room on the morning of January 6. She was admitted to a hospital, where she died on January 11.
The incident came to light when the girl's family filed an FIR alleging assault and misconduct, claiming that the girl had injuries on her body. However, the police initially dismissed these allegations.
The police officials had earlier informed TOI that a gynaecologist who examined the girl found no evidence of sexual assault, and her statement during treatment was recorded under the e-Sakshya system. Then Patna Police constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the death of a NEET aspirant after receiving the post mortem report.
Now, a Human Rights activist from Muzaffarpur, has filed two separate petitions in this matter with the National Human Rights Commission and the Bihar State Human Rights Commission.
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."
