Patna: Family members of a NEET aspirant who died under suspicious circumstances staged a protest at Gardanibagh in Patna on Sunday, demanding justice in the case. Around 150 people, including the student’s mother, father, and maternal uncle, participated in the dharna. Supporters from Patna, Jehanabad, and several other districts also joined the demonstration.
The family alleged that despite multiple investigations by Patna Police, a Special Investigation Team (SIT), and later the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), justice has not been delivered even after 79 days since the case was registered at Chitraguptnagar police station.
According to the family, the investigation initially began with Patna Police before being handed over to an SIT and later to the CBI. They also claimed that one investigating officer (IO) in the CBI probe was replaced and another officer was assigned to the case.
However, the family said the change of investigating agencies or officers does not matter to them as long as the real accused are arrested and brought to justice. “Our only demand is that the real culprits be identified and exposed,” they said.
The protesting family members further alleged that the investigating agency has repeatedly pressured them to accept the case as a suicide. They questioned why the post-mortem and forensic science laboratory (FSL) reports mention that the victim was subjected to a “heinous act” if the death was being treated as suicide.
They also raised questions about the presence of semen stains on the student’s clothes and asked why investigators have not provided clear answers on this aspect. The family alleged that the investigation has been largely limited to Jehanabad and the hostel where the student stayed, with agencies recording statements of people but failing to identify the real perpetrators.
The student’s maternal uncle alleged that investigators went to the extent of collecting DNA samples from family members despite there being no named accused or suspects in the case.
Accusing the police and the CBI of attempting to dilute the case, he claimed that the agencies have been trying to cover up the matter from the beginning rather than uncover the truth.
