Police Lapse in Nagpur NEET Aspirant Suicide Case: Investigation Officer Served Show-Cause Notice

After a heart-wrenching suicide note belonging to a deceased NEET candidate surfaced, Nagpur police have initiated disciplinary action against the officer in charge of the probe for failing to include the critical evidence in the case papers.

The death of 18-year-old Akanksha Chaturvedi, a NEET-UG aspirant from Madhya Pradesh who was residing in Nagpur, has taken a disturbing turn following revelations of administrative negligence. While the student tragically took her own life on May 20—weeks after the national entrance exam held on May 3—it has emerged that the police failed to properly document a handwritten note she left behind. The lapse has led to a formal show-cause notice being issued against the Investigation Officer (IO) at the Ambazari police station, Nikhil Tabhane.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) for Zone 2, Nityanand Jha, the existence of the note was completely omitted from the formal case files. While a station diary entry reportedly made a passing reference to the note, it was never formally attached to the legal papers, nor was it disclosed to senior leadership during the initial inquiry. The oversight only came to light after an internal report, prompted by the sensitive nature of the case, forced a review of the investigation's integrity.

A Family’s Tragic Discovery

The note was discovered by the victim's grieving family members days after her death while they were sorting through her study materials. Once unearthed, the document was submitted to the Ambazari police on June 1. In the emotional letter, Akanksha expressed deep despair regarding the National Testing Agency’s (NTA) decision to order a retest following widespread allegations of a paper leak.

"Mummy, Papa... you had trust in me that I would study and become a doctor. But I do not have the courage to appear for a retest," the note read. She further lamented that while she had expected to score over 650 marks in her original attempt, there was no guarantee of replicating that performance, adding, "I have ruined everything for both of you." Her father, Krishna Kumar Chaturvedi, who balanced his life as a small farmer with work as a cook in Nagpur to support his daughter’s dreams, had noted a significant decline in her mental well-being in the days leading up to the tragedy.

National Scrutiny and Accountability

The case has gained significant national attention, amplified in part by social media discourse, including a post by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The incident highlights the immense pressure placed on students amid the ongoing controversies surrounding the NEET-UG examination cycle. The administrative failure to document the suicide note has raised concerns about procedural rigor in high-profile cases involving student mental health.

As the department looks into how such a crucial piece of evidence could remain "missing" from official records, the show-cause notice serves as a stern reminder of the accountability required from police personnel. For the family, the focus remains on the loss of their daughter, whose aspirations were overshadowed by the systemic uncertainty surrounding the examination process.