Patna: Following the death of a NEET aspirant allegedly after sexual assault and the discovery of another NEET aspirant’s body in her hostel room, the Bihar State Women’s Commission has asked the District Magistrate of Patna to provide a comprehensive list of all girls’ hostels operating in the district within a week.
In a letter to the Patna District Magistrate, the Chairperson of the Women’s Commission, Apsara, stated that the list must include both registered and unregistered hostels.
She asserted that the safety, living conditions, and mental well-being of female students were the responsibility of both the administration and society, and hence regular monitoring and verification of hostels was essential.
"Several hostels are operating without registration as, in many cases, the administration is not even aware of them. Such hostels pose serious risks to the safety of female students," she added.
The recent incidents involving the deaths of NEET aspirants have raised alarm as police continue to gather evidence to build robust cases.
The Chairperson stressed the need for maintaining accurate records and establishing a proper monitoring system for girls’ hostels.
She further suggested that once the list was received, inspections of hostels could be carried out, and strict action would be taken in cases of violations.
A 15-year-old student, a resident of Aurangabad, was found hanging in her room at a girls' hostel on Exhibition Road under the jurisdiction of Gandhi Maidan police station on 11 January.
On the same day, a NEET aspirant from Jehanabad died in a hospital after allegedly being subjected to sexual assault.
SP (City, West) Deeksha said that a suicide note had been recovered from the room of the girls’ hostel on Exhibition Road. She added that a forensic investigation of the suicide note was being conducted.