Patna, Jan 16 (IANS) After the suspicious death of a NEET aspirant, Patna Police arrested the owner of the hostel on Thursday, an official said.

Following the student’s death, the post-mortem report was received on January 14.

In the report, doctors stated that “the possibility of sexual assault cannot be ruled out”, raising serious concerns over the circumstances surrounding her death.

According to the police, the incident occurred at Shambhu Girls’ Hostel under the Chitraguptnagar police station area in Patna on January 9. It triggered tension and protests across the locality.

The Chitraguptnagar police station received information on January 9 that a female student was found unconscious at the hostel.

She was initially rushed to a private hospital and, due to her critical condition, her family later admitted her to Medanta Hospital. Despite treatment, the student succumbed to her injuries.

After the medical findings came to light, local residents and students staged protests, demanding strict action and a thorough investigation.

The public outcry has been visible since the mysterious death on January 9.

Earlier, on Tuesday, a large number of students protested at Kargil Chowk and police initiated a lathi-charge to disperse them.

The growing public pressure prompted swift police action.

Taking cognisance of the seriousness of the case, police arrested the hostel building owner, Manish Kumar Ranjan, son of Udal Prasad and a resident of Sahajanand Gali, Munna Chowk, Patna.

The accused has been produced before the court and sent to judicial custody.

A case (Case No. 14/26) has been registered at the Chitraguptnagar police station based on the statement of the victim’s father.

Police officials stated that further legal action is being taken based on evidence collected from the crime scene and the forensic report.

Investigators are also questioning other female students residing in the hostel as well as staff members to ascertain the full sequence of events and uncover the truth behind the incident.

–IANS

ajk/pgh