Patna, Sept. 2: The course of investigation into the death of 22-year-old Vidya Shankar, who allegedly stabbed himself after the girl he loved told him not to disturb her, changed track today.

Police have decided to investigate the case under Section 306 of Indian Penal Code (IPC), which deals with abetment to suicide. Earlier, the case was being investigated under Section 302, which deals with murder.

On the afternoon of July 11, Vidya, a BBA student of St George College, Bangalore, had allegedly repeatedly stabbed himself with a knife after meeting the girl he loved, Archana, at Gandhi Maidan. Both of them were residents of the railway colony in Khagaul.

“The brother of the deceased had lodged an FIR in which he stated that Vidya, while undergoing treatment at Patna Medical College and Hospital, had whispered in his ears that the girl and the two other women accompanying her had stabbed him. A case was lodged under Section 302. However, in the course of investigation, we realised what occurred was something different. As a result, the police will now change the case to Section 306, which deals with abetment to suicide. The investigation will continue in the new light. The murder charges have been dropped,” city superintendent of police (central) Shivdeep Lande said today.

Sources said moments after Vidya stabbed him- self, the girl called up his brother from his cellphone and informed him about what had occurred.

“The two women, who had accompanied Archana, had called an ambulance. The police have checked the call records. They verify their statements. Moreover, the clothes of the women did not have a single drop of blood on them. If a person stabs someone, his or her clothes are usually stained with blood. The evidence shows that the women did not murder Vidya but were trying to save him,” Lande told The Telegraph.

He added that Archana and Vidya were in a relationship for at least two years, which had later soured.

“When Vidya was in Bangalore, Archana had visited him once and stayed with him for a few days. The police have found many intimate pictures of both on Vidya’s cellphone. However, cracks had appeared in their relationship and Archana had stopped talking to him. But Vidya was still in love with her and tried very hard to meet her whenever he was in Patna. On that day, Vidya had threatened to commit suicide. So, Archana agreed to meet him. She didn’t want to go alone and asked two of her close friends to come along,” Lande said.