The mysterious death of a NEET aspirant in Patna has escalated as the Bihar government amended its notification to include sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in the case. This move grants the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) full authority to probe the alleged sexual assault aspect. The Police Branch of the Home Department revised the earlier notification and integrated Sections 4 and 6 of the POCSO Act, 2012, into the Chitragupta Nagar Police Station Case No. 14/2026.
Additionally, the amendment includes Section 64 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and other relevant provisions. This alteration empowers the CBI to conduct a lawful investigation under these sections and oversee all aspects of the case. Initially, when the Patna Police filed an FIR on January 9 at Chitragupta Nagar, the POCSO Act sections were not part of the case. Initially considered a suspected suicide, the investigation evolved as new facts and clues emerged, casting doubt on the initial assessment.
During court proceedings, tough questions were raised regarding the absence of POCSO provisions despite the victim being a minor, hinting at potential sexual assault. In response to the court’s scrutiny, the Bihar government reevaluated the situation and issued an amended notification incorporating the POCSO sections. The incident occurred at Shambhu Girls Hostel in Patna’s Chitragupta Nagar area, where students preparing for exams like NEET reside. The student was discovered unconscious in her hostel room on January 6 and succumbed to her condition on January 11 after hospitalization.
The victim’s family alleged rape and murder from the outset, asserting that their daughter was a victim of a grave crime, contrary to efforts to portray it as suicide. In contrast, the initial police inquiry leaned towards suicide as a possibility. With the inclusion of POCSO sections and the case’s transfer to the CBI, the investigation’s scope has significantly broadened. The CBI’s mandate now extends to determining the cause of death and investigating potential sexual assault on the student.
