FIR filed in Dalit MBBS student’s death; family returns to Ballia with mortal remains

The body of the 27-year-old first-semester student, identified as Mithilesh Kumar, was found in the hostel courtyard in the Pure Keshav Rai area

The family of a Dalit MBBS student, who was found dead on the campus of Dr Sonelal Patel Medical College in Pratapgarh on October 25, took his body to their native village in Ballia district late Monday night. The departure followed the registration of a murder case against unidentified persons, which came after hours of negotiations between the family and police that concluded around 10:45 pm.

For representation only

The body of the 27-year-old first-semester student, identified as Mithilesh Kumar, was found in the hostel courtyard in the Pure Keshav Rai area, under the jurisdiction of Pratapgarh’s Nagar Kotwali police station. His spectacles and two mobile phones were reportedly found on the roof of the seven-storey hostel building.

Kumar’s father, who arrived from Kolkata on Monday afternoon, initially accused his son’s fellow students of involvement in his death and submitted a formal complaint. However, the police did not immediately register an FIR.

Following prolonged discussions, a panel of three doctors conducted a postmortem examination late Monday night. The examination indicated that fractures to his chest and waist bones were the cause of death. The family refused to accept the body until a murder FIR was registered; consequently, as police remained reluctant to name specific students, a complaint was filed against unidentified persons. The family departed for Ballia with the body after receiving a copy of the FIR at approximately 10:45 p.m.

CCTV footage secured

Amid reports claiming that CCTV cameras at the medical college were non-functional, investigators managed to retrieve footage from one camera. It showed the student climbing the hostel stairs but did not capture him returning.

The deceased student had previously been accused in a case registered in Ballia regarding the alleged abduction and rape of a minor. According to the report, a chargesheet had been filed in that case, in which Kumar was named as a co-accused on charges of assault and criminal intimidation.

Fellow students reported that he had been distressed over the case and had not visited home for several months. Nagar Kotwali SHO Subhash Yadav noted that students claimed they had supported Kumar when he approached the Allahabad High Court regarding the matter.

Following the registration of the murder case, SHO Yadav, who is leading the investigation, returned to the medical college on Tuesday. He inspected the rooftop and the area where the body was found, prepared a site map, and interviewed several students. “The probe is ongoing,” he stated.