SIT’S SLUGGISHNESS OR A CONSPIRACY? AIIMS NOT PROVIDED WITH COMPLETE MEDICAL DOCUMENTS

SIT’S SLUGGISHNESS OR A CONSPIRACY? AIIMS NOT PROVIDED WITH COMPLETE MEDICAL DOCUMENTS

24-JAN-ENG 3

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

PATNA-----------------------The slow and incomplete functioning of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted in the highly publicized case of the suspicious death of a NEET student in the capital is now hindering the medical investigation as well...

A worrying piece of news has emerged for those awaiting justice in the highly publicized case of the alleged rape and suspicious death of a NEET student in the capital. The slow and incomplete functioning of the Special Investigation Team (SIT), formed to get to the bottom of the matter, is now hindering the medical investigation. According to sources, the forensic investigation at AIIMS Patna is being severely affected due to the SIT's failure to provide complete documents on time. The situation is such that expert doctors are finding themselves helpless in reaching any concrete conclusion due to the lack of scientific evidence.

A 'high-level' medical board has been constituted at AIIMS Patna for this sensitive case. According to Dr. Vinay Kumar, Head of the Forensic Department, this special board, constituted on the instructions of the institute's director and superintendent, comprises a total of five senior specialist doctors. The team includes two specialists from the forensic department, while one senior doctor each from the gynecology, neurology, and radiology departments has been included. This team has been examining the intricacies of the case for the past week, but the pace of the investigation has slowed down due to bureaucratic hurdles.

Dr. Vinay Kumar categorically stated that in any criminal case, the medical review depends entirely on the available records and timely access to them. If the documents are incomplete or received late, the chain of investigation weakens. In the current situation, until all the necessary medical and forensic records are made fully available, it is not scientifically possible to reach any conclusion. The possibility of seeking help from experts from other departments has also been mentioned, but the fundamental problem remains the same – the lack of records. Sources indicate that the SIT is handing over documents in installments instead of all at once. This "piecemeal" model of providing evidence has created new difficulties for experts. It is becoming difficult to connect the dots, and each incomplete file is raising new layers of suspicion. Questions are being raised: Is this mere negligence, or a deliberate ploy to protect someone?

The story of the suspicious death of the NEET student in Patna began to take a mysterious turn on the night of January 6th. That same night, a female sub-inspector met with the family at Prabhat Memorial Hospital, gave them her number, and said, "Call me if you have any suspicions." Whether this was genuine reassurance or just a formality remained unanswered for several days.

On January 7th, the student remained unconscious and admitted to Prabhat Memorial Hospital all day. Doctors were treating her, but they did not explain what had actually happened to the girl. On the same day, a relative went to Shambhu Girls' Hostel. Students were present at the hostel, but no one was willing to speak. The room where the girl lived was found clean and tidy. Later, a student informed them over the phone that the warden was checking the CCTV footage. This information itself raised many questions.

By the evening of January 8th, the matter deepened further. Dr. Abhishek of Prabhat Memorial Hospital told the family that something physical had happened to the girl; there were injury marks and bleeding. The family claims that the girl regained consciousness around 6 PM. As soon as she saw her mother, she burst into tears and said, "Something wrong has happened to me." After this, the doctors asked the family to leave, as if the truth had been confined within the ward.

On January 9th, the relatives again went to the hostel. A caretaker named Chanchala was present at the time. Some of the girl's belongings and about 11,000 rupees were recovered from the room. The floor was clean, but the belongings were scattered as if someone had tried to cover up the evidence. On the same day, the family called the number given by the female SI. The police from Kadamkuan police station arrive, take statements, and the case is transferred to Chitragupta Nagar police station. Station house officer Roshni Kumari reaches the hospital, takes statements and photographs, and leaves.

By evening, the hostel owner, Neelam Agarwal, arrives at the hospital. It is alleged that she offered to manage the case and prevent the hostel from being defamed. An argument ensued, the police were called, a slap was exchanged, and she was taken to the police station, but then quietly released. Even after this, the girl remained unconscious until the night of January 9th.

On January 10th, the family wanted to take the girl to another hospital, but Dr. Satish prevented them. After an argument and scuffle in the ICU, the girl was taken to Medanta Hospital. There, the doctors clearly stated that the chances of survival were only 1 percent. At 12:34 PM on January 11th, the girl was declared dead.

On January 12th, a post-mortem was conducted at PMCH. A doctor secretly told the family, "She was raped, do not cremate the body." The body was brought back from Gulbi Ghat, ASP Abhinav arrived at Kargil Chowk, and it was alleged that the family had been misled. A lathi charge ensued, the body was taken back to the ghat in an ambulance, and the cremation was performed.

On January 15th, the family was called in under the pretext of receiving the post-mortem report, made to wait for hours, and allegedly threatened. Allegedly, on January 15th, Chitragupta police station in-charge Roshni Kumari called the family at 10 AM to give them the post-mortem report, but only gave it at 8 PM and also threatened a relative of the girl, saying, "Think about what will happen after 10 years."  The case is now in the spotlight, and it is clear that the death of the NEET student in Patna is no longer just a single incident. This is not just a medical case. This incident has raised serious questions about the hostel system, the role of private hospitals, and the transparency of the police investigation. Now, the 127-page LAMA report, the contradictions in the post-mortem report, and the allegations made by the family have transformed this case from a simple death into a question of the entire system's credibility. All eyes are now on the SIT's final report, which will determine whether this was an accident or a pre-planned conspiracy.

This case is not just a crime, but a test of the entire system's credibility. The eyes of all of Bihar are on this case. Public outrage has been simmering since the horrific incident involving the student. The SIT's apparent inaction is fueling both fear and anger among the people. According to experts, any further delay in submitting the documents could compromise the quality of the scientific evidence. And then the question will remain: if the evidence is weakened, how will the victim get justice?