'It Was Not Suicide, But Murder'

'My brother was mentally tortured and harassed.'

Three days after Dr Yajuvender Sahu, a postgraduate student at AIIMS Patna, was found dead in his hostel room, his family has vehemently demanded a high-level probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation while refuting reports that suggest suicide.

Dr Sahu, a first-year Doctor of Medicine (MD) student at AIIMS Patna, was a resident of Odisha's Dhenkanal district and stayed in the hostel within the institute's premises.

The grieving family alleges that Dr Sahu was subjected to mental torture and harassment, and that his death was the result of a conspiracy that needed to be thoroughly investigated.

A First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged by the family at the Phulwarisharif police station in Patna concerning Dr Sahu's mysterious death, and the police have commenced an investigation.

Following the family's suspicions over the initial cause of death reported by AIIMS Patna, Dr Sahu's post-mortem examination was conducted at the state government-run Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) in the presence of a magistrate and was videographed.

Dr Sahu's younger brother emphatically stated that it was not a suicide but a result of mental torture and a conspiracy.

"My brother was mentally tortured and harassed," he alleged. "It was not a suicide but a murder."

Police officials at Phulwarisharif police station confirmed that a case was registered by Dr Sahu's family, in which they alleged he was instigated to end his life.

"The police will investigate the case taking into account the post-mortem report, forensic report, and witness statements," a police spokesperson said.

According to reports in the local media, junior resident doctors at AIIMS Patna have reportedly written a letter to the Union health minister, demanding a high-level inquiry into Dr Sahu's death.

Dr Sahu, 25, was found dead on July 19 in room number 515 of hostel number 10 on the AIIMS Patna campus.

No suicide note was found in the room.

Dr Sahu had joined AIIMS Patna in January 2025 as a postgraduate student in the gynaecology and obstetrics department.

Officials from AIIMS Patna informed the police that he had committed death by suicide by injecting a high dose of an anaesthetic drug.

As the door to his room was locked from the inside, it was opened by the AIIMS Patna administration in the presence of local police and a magistrate.

Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff