Even as protests and a political row continue in Bihar over the death of a 17-year-old medical entrance aspirant in Patna, another similar case has come to light in the state capital.
The second incident involves a 15-year-old NEET aspirant from Aurangabad district who was found dead in her hostel room on January 6. Police said the girl died by suicide. Following a complaint filed by her father alleging harassment, one minor accused has been produced before the Juvenile Justice Board and sent to a reform home.
According to the girl’s father, she had been staying in Patna for the past six months to prepare for the NEET examination. He said she had returned to the hostel on January 4 after spending a holiday at home. “We spoke to her on January 4 and 5, and again on the morning of January 6. I spoke to her around 9 am that day,” he told The Indian Express.
He said CCTV footage from the hostel showed his daughter brushing her teeth at around 10.52 am. However, around 1 pm, the hostel operator informed the family that she had died by suicide.
In a written complaint to the police, the father said family members rushed to the hostel and then to Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), where the police had taken her. “When we reached PMCH, her body was lying in the emergency ward, and doctors told us she had been declared dead,” the complaint stated.
The father alleged that his daughter had been harassed by two youths living in the vicinity. “She was extremely disturbed due to the harassment. My daughter was forced to take this step,” he said.
A police officer said that during the investigation, it emerged that one of the accused, a minor, had been in frequent contact with the girl. “Based on the complaint, the juvenile was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board and sent to a reform home,” the officer said, adding that further investigation was ongoing. The postmortem examination confirmed death by hanging, the officer added.
The incident has surfaced at a time when Patna has been witnessing protests over the death of another NEET aspirant earlier this month. In that case, a 17-year-old girl was found unconscious in her hostel room and later died during treatment. A postmortem report said that sexual violence could not be ruled out.
That case led to the arrest of the hostel building owner and the formation of a special investigation team.
