Sexual assault or conspiracy? SIT submits report to DGP in Patna NEET student death case

Patna NEET Student Death Case: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has completed its initial investigation into the death of the NEET student. The report, prepared after seven days of intensive investigation, details every aspect of the case. The report has been submitted to the DGP.

Patna NEET Student Death Case: The investigation into the suspicious death of a student preparing for the NEET exam at Shambhu Girls Hostel in Munna Chak, Patna, has reached a crucial stage. After seven days of intensive investigation, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has submitted its report to the Bihar Police Headquarters. This report has been presented to the Director General of Police (DGP), based on which further legal action and the direction of the investigation will be decided.

Statements and Technical Evidence Included in SIT Report

According to sources, the SIT report includes statements and evidence from almost every potential witness related to the case. This includes statements from hospital doctors, nursing staff and management, the student's family members, other female students residing in the hostel, hostel management and staff, neighbours, and local public representatives. Mobile Call Detail Records (CDR), tower location data, digital data, and forensic inputs are also part of the report.

Movement Timeline Created from CCTV Footage

The SIT has prepared a detailed timeline of the student's movement. The investigation reviewed CCTV footage from Patna Junction to Shambhu Girls Hostel, recordings from cameras installed inside and around the hostel, and footage from over 40 CCTV cameras installed from the student's home in Jehanabad to the railway station. Based on this footage, the student's journey, arrival time at the hostel, and subsequent activities have been analysed.

Events of January 5 and 6 Become the Main Focus of Investigation

According to the report, the student arrived in Patna from Jehanabad on January 5 and reached Shambhu Girls Hostel around 3:35 PM. The next day, on January 6, she did not leave her room and was found unconscious in the afternoon. She was first taken to a private hospital in Kankarbagh and then admitted to Prabhat Memorial Hospital. Her condition worsened, and she was referred to Medanta Hospital on January 9, where she died during treatment on January 11.

Post-mortem Report Changes the Direction of Investigation

In the initial investigation, the police had ruled out the possibility of sexual assault based on the crime scene, CCTV footage, and preliminary medical reports. However, the post-mortem report from PMCH (Patna Medical College Hospital) raised serious questions about this conclusion. The report clearly stated that the possibility of sexual assault could not be ruled out. The case became more serious after injuries to the body and signs of forced sexual contact were found. Following this, the student's father lodged an FIR at the Chitrgupt Nagar police station.

SIT's Focus on These Aspects

The SIT's investigation is primarily focused on specific aspects, such as the student's mental and physical condition during her journey from Jehanabad to Patna on January 5. The aim is also to ascertain what happened after she reached the hostel that led to her becoming unconscious in the evening, despite allegedly being normal throughout the day. The investigation also includes the student's mobile call patterns, which show repeated contact with a particular number.

Hostel Structure Also Under Investigation

The SIT has also included the physical structure of Shambhu Girls Hostel, the condition of the rooms, and its three gates, especially the back gate and its connection to the link road, in its investigation. The objective is to determine in which room or part of the hostel the incident occurred and who was present there at that time.

After the SIT's report is submitted, the next decision in the entire case will be taken at the DGP (Director General of Police) level. This report will determine the future course of the investigation, whether the case will proceed as a sexual assault, whether layers of a larger conspiracy will be uncovered, or if an additional agency will be required for the investigation.