Murder-accused cracks IIT masters entrance, ranks 54

NAWADA: A young murder accused awaiting trial in Bihar’s

Nawada

sub-jail has cleared the IIT Joint Admission Test for

Masters

(JAM) 2022 with an all-India

rank

of 54, taking a step closer to his dream of becoming a scientist and “contributing to the nation’s development”.

Suraj Kumar Yadav, who has been in prison along with his elder brother Birendra since April last year, attributes his success to Nawada jail superintendent Abhishek Pandey, who apparently provided him the textbooks required to prepare for the exam, arranged nutritious food and kept him motivated throughout.

Suraj got a month’s parole to write the examination in Delhi on February 13. Before his arrest on charges of being involved in the murder of a neighbour in his native Mosma village, Suraj had been studying for IIT-JAM in an institute at Rajasthan’s Kota. He returned to Mosma during the second Covid-induced lockdown, only to be embroiled in a long-standing dispute between his family and a neighbour over a drain.

Suraj and his elder sibling were later arrested and charged with the murder of Sanjay Yadav, whose father was involved in the land dispute with his family.

Renu Devi, the mukhiya of Mosma panchayat, said Suraj had been “implicated” in the case. Suraj’s parents have since abandoned the village, fearing reprisal by the murdered man’s family. Their agricultural land in the village lies unused.

Suraj isn’t brooding over the twists and turns of his life, though. He remains hopeful of being acquitted soon and aims to join IIT-Roorkee as soon as he is released.


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