Patna: A teenage student preparing for India’s highly competitive National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) was found unconscious in her hostel room in Patna on Sunday night and later died in hospital, police said, as her family alleged rape and murder and authorities said sleeping pills were recovered from the room.
The student, who had returned to the hostel from her home on January 5, ate dinner with other residents the following evening before going to her room, according to Abhinav Kumar, assistant superintendent of police (ASP) for Sadar. When she failed to come out for several hours, hostel staff became concerned and forced open the locked door, finding her unconscious. She was taken to hospital, where she died during treatment.
Police said they were alerted by hospital staff and reached the facility while the student was still unconscious. A gynaecological examination conducted at the hospital did not find injuries to her private parts, the ASP said. The cause of death will be determined after the post-mortem examination.
The student’s family has alleged that she was raped and murdered, citing marks on her body. A case has been registered on the basis of a complaint filed by her father, and police said the investigation is ongoing.
Officers who searched the hostel room said no suicide note was found. Other residents in neighbouring rooms, all female students, were questioned but did not provide information relevant to the case, police said.
Investigators said sleeping pills were recovered from the room and the student’s mobile phone was seized for examination. According to police, internet search history on the phone included videos related to the lethality of sleeping pills and the effects of overdose.
“We are investigating how long she had been consuming sleeping pills and from where they were obtained,” Kumar said, adding that the inquiry would proceed on multiple lines and that further steps would be guided by the post-mortem report.
