Patna: Begusarai MP Bhola Singh has requested Union home minister Rajnath Singh for a probe into the death of Banasthali Vidyapith student Neha Rai from burn injuries in Jaipur earlier this month.

Neha was originally from Simaria village in Begusarai district, around 110km from Patna. She suffered burn injuries when a boiler burst at her college in Rajasthan on January 2 and died on January 8 during treatment at a private hospital in Jaipur. The mass communication student was 21 years old.

Bhola has written a letter to Rajnath, alleging that the Rajasthan institution did not have the proper mechanism in place to prevent boilers from bursting. Singh has asked why the boiler was not kept out of reach of students and why Neha was admitted at Vidyapeeth's primary health centre for 10 hours in spite of suffering over 60 per cent burn injuries.

Neha was later taken to Abhishek Hospital Laser & Cosmetic Surgery Centre where she succumbed to her injuries. "Why did the institute administration not take up the responsibility of Neha's treatment and why did they keep the accident under wraps, not even sharing it with the other students? All this raises the institute's suspicious role in the whole incident. I request you to conduct a high-level probe into the matter and take stern action against the people responsible for Neha's death, including Vidyapeeth's vice-chancellor," the letter, written in Hindi and sent on January 20, says.

Neha's father Shailendra Rai, who retired as an army naik, also requested for a high-level probe into the student's death.

Rai, who lives in Simaria, told The Telegraph: "The hostel warden called me that day and said Neha had received very little burn injuries and they were taking care of her. It was only when I reached Jaipur that I was made aware by the institute administration of Neha's severe burns. Why did the institute keep her in the institute's primary health centre and not admit her in any higher centre for treatment. Neha also told me she was not properly taken care of at the institute's primary health centre after she was shifted to the private hospital."

He alleged the private hospital's doctors also claimed negligence in Neha's initial treatment. "We demand justice for our daughter," he cried.

Neha's sister Ruchika Rai has also written a letter to the Banasthali Vidyapith vice-chancellor, asking what safety measures were in place at the institution. She has asked what was the delay in transferring Neha to a better-equipped hospital on time given the seriousness of her burn injuries.

She hasn't received a reply yet.