Forensic report points to possible sexual assault in Patna NEET case

Forensic tests have found semen traces on the clothes of a deceased NEET aspirant in Patna, prompting DNA analysis and suspensions of two police officers, as investigators revisit the sexual assault angle amid ongoing protests and scrutiny

Patna: Police investigating the NEET aspirant death case in Patna on Sunday said forensic report of the student’s clothes has detected traces of semen, a finding that suggests sexual assault of the girl.

Police will obtain a DNA profile from the traces of semen detected in the forensic report, officials said.

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In another development in the case, Patna Police late Saturday night suspended Hemant Jha, Additional Officer-in-Charge of Kadamkuan Police station and the Officer-in-Charge of Chitragupt Nagar police station, Sub-Inspector, Roshni Kumari, on charges of dereliction of duty in the case.

The 18-year-old aspirant and a resident of Jehanabad, who was preparing for the medical entrance exam NEET, was found unconscious in the room of Shambhu Girls Hostel in Patna’s Chitragupt Nagar earlier this month.

She was staying at the private hostel to take coaching for the examination. She died at a private hospital on January 11 after remaining in a coma for days. Her family had alleged that she was sexually assaulted, accusing authorities of attempting a cover-up. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) is investigating the case.

A statement issued by the SSP office said, “The forensic report of the student’s clothes, which she wore at the time of hospitalisation, detected traces of semen in the leggings. These clothes were provided by the family members of the victim on January 10 and further police sent these clothes for forensic examination. Now, SIT, investigating the case, will obtain a DNA profile from the semen detected in the scientific report. It will also be matched with the DNA profile of the accused arrested in the and also with the suspects”.

The post-mortem report of the deceased had highlighted injuries to her private parts and nail abrasions on her body.

Her death led to massive protests in Patna, following which the police arrested the owner of the girls’ hostel. The initial findings of the doctors had concluded that the death occurred because she had consumed a large number of sleeping pills, and that she was also suffering from typhoid.

However, the post-mortem report of the girl concluded that ‘sexual violence can’t be ruled out’ as a reason behind the incident.

Though her family had initially alleged assault and sexual abuse, police maintained that medical reports and CCTV footage ruled out this.

“Doctors found no signs of sexual assault and said she had consumed a large quantity of sleeping pills and was suffering from typhoid”, Patna police had claimed in a statement issued on January 13.

The five-member medical board of the Patna-AIIMS, reviewing the post-mortem report and other circumstances related to the death of NEET aspirant on Saturday maintained that the SIT, investigating the case, “has not provided all crucial documents to it so far”.

Talking to reporters here on Saturday, head of the medical board, Dr Binay Kumar (Professor-Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, AIIMS) said, “We have not been provided all crucial documents related to the case by the SIT so far… on the basis of which we can draw a conclusion or give our opinion on the case. Documents which have been provided by the SIT to the board, are not sufficient enough…..we are still waiting for some more crucial documents. The SIT is already investigating the case and the Medical Board has also started examining the documents”.

He, however, refused to divulge details about the documents which have not been provided so far to the board.