Police station surrounded after MBBS student’s death:Family alleges slow probe; protest ends after assurance, family continues to sit-in

Angered by what they call slow action in the case of first-year MBBS student Roshni Kalesh’s death, her family members and students of Gandhi Medical College surrounded Kohefiza Police Station. Protesters insisted on swift action. Police officials tried to persuade them, and the students briefly agreed after being assured of quick steps, but resumed the protest shortly afterwards. Students said they wanted a senior officer, not the station in-charge, to speak with them. Additional DCP Shalini Dixit reached the spot and began talks. Roshni, a first-year MBBS student, was found dead in suspicious circumstances in her hostel on 10 February. Police investigation has not yet clarified the cause of death. Upset over this, family members and students held the protest for about an hour. It ended after police assured proper action. Protesters allege the investigation is extremely slow. They claim the place where the body was found was not sealed and statements of the warden and others responsible have not yet been recorded. They sat outside the station demanding a fair probe. ACP Anil Vajpayee also reached the spot and tried to calm them. Acid bottle was found near the body A bottle was found near Roshni’s body. She had taken admission in the first year of MBBS only last October. According to information, she was a day scholar and lived in a private hostel in the Kohefiza area. When she did not come out of her room for college in the morning, fellow students went to call her. Students gathered outside the hostel after news of her death spread. They said they called out to her several times and tried phoning her, but there was no response. They then informed the PG guard. When he arrived, the room door and then the bathroom door were broken open, where she was found lying. Suspicious bottle found nearby Students said an empty bottle was lying near her. The college administration was immediately informed. She was taken around 8:30 am to the emergency department of Hamidia Hospital, where doctors declared her dead after examination.