Varsity panel to probe boy death

Jackson Hostel. Telegraph picture

Patna, Sept. 23: A five-member committee formed by Patna University (PU) will conduct an internal probe into the mystery death of 20-year-old Amrit Raj. The team will try to ascertain if the Jackson Hostel superintendent regularly visited the rooms.

Amrit, a final-year student of the Hindi undergraduate department of Patna College, was found hanging in his hostel room by his elder brother this afternoon, two days after the deceased stopped taking phone calls.

PU vice-chancellor Shambhu Nath Singh formed the committee, which would be headed by the dean of students’ welfare, P.K. Poddar. Its other members include proctor Kriteshwar Prasad and Patna College principal Lal Keshwar Prasad Singh.

“The varsity probe team will conduct its own investigation and try to inquire whether the hostel superintendent Hira Mandal regularly visits the hostel or not. The other points of investigation will be why did not the person running the mess not enquire about Amrit Raj if he had not eaten his meals for two days, why did not the sweeper report about the room being shut for two days to the hostel superintendent and other possible angles,” said the proctor Kriteshwar Prasad. Prasad today spoke to the teachers and students of the Hindi department.

“The varsity administration has gathered information that Amrit was an introvert and rarely mixed with others. As Amrit was preparing for the civil services examination, he generally woke up early in the morning when other students were sleeping and studied for 10 to 12 hours,” the proctor said.

“The police have sought a list of boarders in the Jackson, Minto, New, Iqbal and Nadwi hostels of Patna College. The police want to know the number of students in each of the

hostels, the number of years they are residing, whether they have a criminal record and whether the college administration identifies the students,” city superintendent of police (central) Shivdeep Lande said.

The police today said the post-mortem report of the boy was awaited.

“The door was locked from the inside. But the police are investigating the circumstances under which forced the boy took the step. Investigations are on and things will become clear in the course,” a police officer at Pirbhore police station said.

Randhir Kumar Singh, the Patna University Teachers’ Association general secretary, said: “The varsity administration’s orders to vacate the rooms had little effect on the students who continue to occupy the rooms illegally.” These illegal occupants are generally passouts.