NEET aspirant death case: Prashant Kishor meets bereaved family members of student

Patna, Jan 16 (PTI) Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor on Friday visited Jehanabad district in Bihar to meet bereaved family members of a NEET aspirant who died earlier this week after remaining in a coma for several days in the state capital.

Kishor, who had been lying low since his party was drubbed in the recently held assembly polls, spoke to journalists later and raised questions on the investigation by police in the matter.

"The police had, initially made haste in declaring the matter as a case of suicide. Now, they have done an about turn and are saying that sexual assault could not be ruled out", said Kishor.

He was referring to the statement made by Patna police a few days ago.

The 18-year-old aspirant and a resident of Jehanabad was found unconscious in her hostel room under the Chitragupt Nagar police station area earlier this month and died during treatment at a private hospital on January 11.

Although the family had been suspecting sexual violence, doctors concluded after the post-mortem report that the death occurred because the girl was suffering from typhoid and had consumed a large number of sleeping pills.

Kishor also claimed "family members of the girl have complained that the investigating officer, an SHO, has been asking them to strike a compromise and let go of the matter. This is highly objectionable. I will help them meet senior officers and ensure that the culprits are brought to book".

He, however, declined to take questions on the ED raid in Kolkata, at the premises of political consultancy firm IPAC, which he had co-founded but later dissociated himself from since becoming a full-time political activist.

The family of the deceased had, from the outset alleged assault and sexual abuse, accusing authorities of attempting a cover-up. Her death triggered protests by students and relatives. Police on Thursday arrested the owner of the building in which the girls' hostel was being run. Following reports of the post-mortem findings circulating on social media, protests erupted in parts of Patna on Thursday. PTI NAC PKD RG