SIT submits report to DGP, claims girl died by ‘suicide’

Patna: The special investigation Team (SIT) probing the death of a medical aspirant in Patna is preparing to hand over the case to the CBI amid continuing controversy and allegations by the victim’s family. According to sources, the SIT has submitted its investigation report to Bihar director general of police Vinay Kumar on Saturday.The report concludes that the incident is a clear case of suicide. The development follows intense scrutiny of the case, which began after the minor girl from Jehanabad was found unconscious in her hostel room at a girls’ hostel in Patna on Jan 6. She later died on Jan 11 during treatment at a private hospital, where she remained in a coma for several days. Urine tests and other medical reports from the private hospital stated that she died due to an overdose of anti-depressant medicines.Three strips of medicine were found in her room by the hostel warden and were later handed over to the girl’s family.However, the post-mortem conducted at PMCH indicated injuries consistent with sexual violence. A subsequent biological report based on forensic analysis detected traces of semen on the victim’s undergarments, raising strong suspicion of sexual assault before her suspicious death. Following age verification of the girl, provisions of the POCSO Act were added to the FIR.A senior official, on condition of anonymity, said the victim’s family was not cooperating with the investigation despite the SIT sharing all available evidence. “Even on Friday, they made a hue and cry at the DGP’s residence when the team shared all the details of the case. They are only publicising the matter. In such a situation, the team is unable to go on with the probe,” the official said.The SIT report states that the girl had suicidal tendencies for a long period, based on her mobile phone search history related to different poisons and salts of medicines, as well as personal diary entries referring to exam pressure, career concerns, family disputes and a past relationship. These materials were recovered from her hostel room in Patna.The victim’s family remained dissatisfied even as the state prepared to hand over the case to the CBI and alleged that evidence had been destroyed. “The family consistently hid things. Initially, they did not register the case when Kadamkuan police approached them and even put pressure on the hospital not to inform the police; we have witnesses and evidence of it. Secondly, they hid two strips of medicine and handed over only one strip along with the victim’s mobile phone after the FIR was registered on Jan 9. Later, they framed the warden for planting the empty medicine strips in the room,” the sources said.During the investigation, the SIT found that six strips of medicine were brought by the girl’s father from Jehanabad on Dec 27 last year, when the family was returning to their native place after picking her up from the hostel in Patna. The team also stated that while the family alleged their daughter’s clothes were destroyed, CCTV footage from the hospital showed nursing staff handing over the clothes at the time of admission. These were later sent for forensic examination on Jan 10, when the family handed them over. “The semen traces were found from that cloth only,” the officer said.The delay meant the family retained custody of the clothes for around five days, raising questions about the chain of custody — the documented process that ensures the integrity of evidence from collection to forensic analysis.“The police acquired the full footage of the girl’s movement after she reached Patna on Jan 5 from Jehanabad until the time she was found unconscious in her room. Police officers visited the hostel and obtained CCTV footage on the same day the FIR was registered. As far as the injury marks on her hand and shoulder are concerned, the medical report stated that she might have suffered those injuries around Jan 3-4 while she was in Jehanabad. These are unexplained injuries. We are not saying that nothing happened to the girl, but it is certain that it did not happen here in Patna,” the official said, adding that the team visited Jehanabad to investigate the matter but did not receive cooperation.Officials added that the semen traces found on the victim’s clothes were around one week old from the date they were seized on Jan 10. Blood samples of around 19-20 people were collected for matching, though the results of some samples are still awaited.According to sources, the girl contacted her father in the early hours of Jan 25 last year, between 2.30am and 3am, but the call went unanswered. “After that, the family came in an SUV and took the girl with them, which had never happened before. The reason was not mentioned to the police. Something might have happened in Jehanabad, after which she returned to Patna by train on Jan 5. There are several gaps,” the sources said.