Bhopal: Family Protests at Police Station Over Suspicious Death of Medical Student
Tension flared outside the Koh-e-Fiza police station in Bhopal on Friday as family members and students staged a protest demanding a thorough and impartial investigation into the suspicious death of a 19-year-old MBBS first-year student from Gandhi Medical College, Roshni Kulesh.
Protest Demands Fair Probe into Student's Death
The student died under suspicious circumstances on February 10. Koh-e-Fiza Police registered a case and initially stated that the death appeared to be a suicide. However, the deceased's father, Vantar Singh, and other relatives have strongly contested this claim, alleging that she did not die by suicide but was murdered as part of a conspiracy. They have also accused the police of conducting a slow and inadequate investigation.
Large Gathering Marches to Police Station
Approximately 200 people, including relatives from the girl's native place, Alirajpur, traveled to Bhopal and marched to the police station alongside local students. The protesters raised slogans and sat in a sit-in demonstration, insisting on an unbiased probe. The protest began at noon and continued until late evening, lasting over seven hours. Police officials recorded statements from family members during this period.
Family Alleges Negligence and Foul Play
The family has made several specific demands, including the registration of an FIR against the private hostel warden and action against the college administration for alleged negligence. According to the family, the warden shifted the body from the bathroom to the hospital without informing them. Vantar Singh, in a conversation with TOI, pointed to deeper foul play, noting that the bathroom where the body was found was on the top floor of the building, while his daughter resided on the ground floor.
He raised critical questions:
- Why was the family not shown CCTV footage depicting her going upstairs or the body being brought down?
- Why was her mobile phone accessed after her death?
Police Response and Ongoing Investigation
Senior police officials, including Additional DCP Shalini Dixit and ACP Anil Bajpai, arrived at the scene to address the protesters and attempt to pacify them. Additional DCP Shalini Dixit assured that the case is being investigated on a priority basis. She stated that police are diligently recording the statements of family members, and further action will be taken based on the findings of the investigation.
The demonstration persisted as protesters insisted that a senior officer directly address their concerns, highlighting the community's demand for transparency and justice in this tragic incident.
