Patna: The death of a NEET aspirant in Patna has reverberated in the national capital, with the independent MP Pappu Yadav staging a protest at the Parliament House complex on Wednesday and alleging collusion between hostel authorities, medical staff and the police.
Yadav, who represents Purnea in Bihar, accused investigators of shielding influential individuals and claimed that the student’s family was being harassed. Speaking to reporters, he alleged that evidence had been destroyed and that the investigation by the special investigation team (SIT) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was compromised.
“Cases involving the exploitation of girls in hostels keep coming to light,” Yadav said. “In this case there is collusion between the hostel management, doctors and the police station. No sleeping pills were found in the room. The room was cleaned and evidence was removed.”
He questioned why a first information report (FIR) was registered on January 9, three days after the incident, and alleged that pressure had been exerted on doctors at Patna Medical College and Hospital during the postmortem examination. He further claimed that the case was later transferred to AIIMS to divert attention.
The student, who was from Jehanabad district, had been staying at Shambhu Girls’ Hostel in Patna while preparing for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). She was found unconscious in her room on January 6 and was admitted to a private hospital, where she died four days later.
Police initially described the case as a suicide, but the family alleged rape and murder. The postmortem report did not rule out sexual assault, intensifying scrutiny and prompting the formation of an SIT to investigate the circumstances surrounding her death.
Investigators have since reported the presence of male semen on the student’s undergarments, and DNA samples have been collected from several individuals for forensic analysis. Police sources said all aspects of the case were being examined and claimed the investigation would reach a conclusion soon.
