The Bihar government has recommended a CBI probe into the death of a 17-year-old NEET aspirant from Jehanabad district, who was found unconscious in her Patna hostel room earlier this month and later died during treatment, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said on Saturday.
This comes a day after the family of the victim met the state police chief and later alleged that police were attempting a “cover-up” in the case.
The teenager was found unconscious in her room at a girls’ hostel in Patna, where she had been staying to prepare for the medical entrance examination, on January 6. She was initially taken to a local clinic, then moved to a private hospital, and later moved to another facility as her condition deteriorated. She died on January 11.
Police had initially treated the case as a suspected suicide, citing alleged consumption of sleeping pills and stating that there was no evidence of sexual assault. Patna City SP (East) Parichay Kumar had told the media that a private gynaecologist who examined the girl on the first day of hospitalisation had “not found any evidence of sexual assault”. He had also said CCTV footage from the hostel did not indicate foul play and that the girl’s urine report showed consumption of sleeping pills.
From the outset, however, the girl’s family alleged sexual assault and foul play. In an FIR lodged on January 9, her father cited injury marks on her body and head and expressed suspicion that she had been assaulted at the hostel.
The report of a postmortem conducted on January 12 by a medical board at Patna Medical College and Hospital said that “sexual violence cannot be ruled out” in the case, prompting police to acknowledge a change in medical opinion. The autopsy recorded multiple injuries, including nail abrasions on the neck and bruises on the shoulder, arm and forearm.
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Subsequently, police arrested the owner of the hostel building, Manish Kumar Ranjan. Bihar DGP Vinay Kumar also constituted a special investigation team (SIT) under the supervision of IG Central Range (Patna) Jitendra Rana to probe the case.
Earlier this week, the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) reported the detection of “human semen residues” on one of the undergarments the girl was purportedly wearing at the time of the incident. A senior police officer had said DNA profiling was underway and would be matched with samples collected from suspects as well as others questioned during the probe.
An FSL team has collected DNA samples of more than a dozen individuals, including family members, hostel operators, building owners and other suspected persons. The samples have been sealed and sent for comparison with biological evidence recovered from the girl’s clothes.
In view of the forensic findings, police also moved a magistrate’s court to transfer the case to a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court for further proceedings.
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The investigation has also led to administrative action. Chitragupt Nagar police station SHO Roshni Kumari and Kadamkuan assistant SHO Hemant Jha have been suspended. A senior officer had said the decision followed a review that indicated “failure in intelligence gathering and timely action”.
The family has repeatedly questioned the impartiality of the investigation. They have objected to the composition of the SIT, alleging that officers who had initially declared the case a suicide, including the SP and ASP, were included in the probe.
‘Only want justice’
On Friday, family members met the DGP at his residence, along with members of the SIT. After the meeting, the girl’s mother told reporters that there had been attempts to “hush up” the case. “We only want justice,” she said.
Her father reiterated allegations of a cover-up. “From the beginning, there has been an attempt to derail the case and malign us,” he said.
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The case has triggered protests in Patna, including a demonstration at Kargil Chowk near Gandhi Maidan after the girl’s death, following which police registered a separate case in connection with the protest.
Political reactions have continued, with Independent MP from Purnea, Rajesh Ranjan, alias Pappu Yadav, raising the issue in Parliament earlier this week and reiterating demands for a CBI probe.
The RJD has also backed the family’s demand, while the state government and ministers have been maintaining that all those responsible would be held accountable.
