Patna Police Intensify Investigation into Minor Medical Aspirant's Tragic Death
Investigators in Patna have significantly intensified their efforts to identify the primary accused in the heartbreaking case involving the death of a minor medical aspirant. The young victim was allegedly subjected to rape and subsequently passed away while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the city.
Legal Framework and Forensic Focus
Authorities have invoked relevant sections of the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in this sensitive case. This legal action follows the submission of an official age certificate by the victim's family, which confirmed she was a minor at 17.5 years old. Consequently, charges under the POCSO Act have been included alongside allegations of rape and murder under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The forensic dimension of this investigation has become particularly crucial. Police sources revealed that blood samples were systematically collected from multiple individuals connected to the case:
- The owner of the girls' hostel where the incident occurred
- Other people associated with the hostel premises
- Five family members from Jehanabad including her mother, father, two uncles, and brother
- Six young men who regularly visited or had connections with the hostel
In total, investigators have gathered samples from approximately 19-20 individuals who had close contact with the victim before she was discovered unconscious at the hostel on January 6.
Timeline of Events and Medical Evidence
The tragic sequence of events began when the victim traveled from Jehanabad to Patna on January 5, arriving at the hostel around 3:25 PM. She was found unconscious at the hostel the following day and was immediately rushed to a private hospital for medical attention. Despite several days of intensive care, the young medical aspirant succumbed to her injuries on January 11 after remaining in a coma.
Post-mortem examinations conducted at Patna Medical College and Hospital revealed injuries consistent with sexual assault. This medical evidence aligned with the discovery of semen at the scene, making DNA matching the most critical line of inquiry at this investigative stage. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) handling the case has emphasized that forensic results remain pivotal to identifying the accused.
Investigators have also recovered important personal items belonging to the victim, including her personal diary and three empty strips of anti-depressant medication, which are being examined as part of the comprehensive probe.
Family Concerns and Additional Investigations
In a parallel development, a CID team visited the victim's family home in Jehanabad to conduct further inquiries. During this visit, family members were questioned about her medical treatment and medications, with investigators obtaining copies of prescriptions for detailed scrutiny.
The victim's father expressed concerns about repeated visits and sample collection from family members, highlighting the emotional toll this process has taken on the grieving family. Police have confirmed that the victim's clothes were handed over to authorities on January 10, and DNA profiling is currently ongoing to determine whether the recovered semen originated from a single individual or multiple persons.
Police sources indicated that some of the individuals from whom samples were collected were present at or near the hostel around the time of the incident, though no arrests have been made as the investigation continues to unfold methodically.
