Patna Police make sensational revelations in NEET aspirant’s death case

Patna: In the case of the suspicious death of a student preparing for the NEET examination in Patna, the Patna Police have made several significant revelations, giving a fresh twist to the high-profile case.

Considering the gravity of the matter, the Bihar government has transferred the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

According to the Patna Police, preliminary investigation revealed that the victim’s family initially attempted to suppress the incident and avoid lodging a First Information Report (FIR).

However, the police said they took suo motu cognisance of the case based on information received from the hospital.

Patna’s Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kartikeya Sharma said that CCTV footage from the hostel was sent to a special forensic lab, which confirmed that the footage had not been tampered with.

As per the footage, the student returned to the hostel on January 5 with a friend. That night, she exited her room only twice for about two minutes each and remained inside thereafter. The next morning, when the room remained locked for a prolonged period, the guard broke open the door in the presence of the warden and other students, the SSP said.

The police’s technical and scientific investigation established that the student was at her home in Jehanabad from December 27 to January 5.

While returning to Patna, she purchased a medicine named ‘Amitone Plus’ from a medical store at Arwal Mod in Jehanabad.

This purchase was corroborated through UPI transaction records, the shopkeeper’s statement, and the initial statements of family members, police said.

The student was admitted to Prabhat Memorial Hospital from January 6 to January 10, where her condition remained critical. The hospital’s initial report cited drug overdose as the cause of death.

However, a subsequent Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report detected traces of semen on the student’s undergarments, indicating that sexual assault cannot be ruled out.

Based on these findings, both the SIT and CBI teams have initiated DNA profiling of potential suspects.

Investigators recovered a personal diary and a mobile phone from the student’s hostel room.

Forensic analysis of the mobile phone revealed that the student had searched online for cyanide and sleeping pills on December 24.

Police sources said entries in the diary provided important insights into the student’s mental condition and personal struggles, which are now being treated as key inputs for the CBI investigation.

In a major administrative action, the Patna Police suspended the Additional Station House Officer (ASHO) of Kadamkuan and the Station House Officer (SHO) of Chitragupta Nagar with immediate effect.

SSP Sharma stated that the action was taken due to a delay in sharing information and negligence of duty, adding that timely reporting could have helped preserve crucial evidence.

Patna IG Jitendra Rana and the SSP issued a stern warning to media houses and social media platforms, stating that since the case involves a minor, no information—including photographs, names, or details of family members—should be published that could reveal the victim’s identity.

The police cautioned that strict legal action under the POCSO Act will be taken against violators.

During the press briefing, journalists repeatedly sought clarification on the exact location where the incident occurred.

The IG appeared to avoid responding to these questions and abruptly left the press conference, further fuelling speculation around the case.

IANS