LUCKNOW: In a shocking case from Jaunpur district in eastern Uttar Pradesh, a 24-year-old youth allegedly amputated part of his left foot in a bid to secure disability certification and subsequent concessions for admission under the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and realise his dream of pursuing an MBBS degree.
As per local police sources, Suraj Bhaskar, a resident of Khalipur under the Line Bazar police station area, had completed his Diploma in Pharmacy (D. Pharma) course and was preparing for NEET.
The incident occurred on January 18 and was reported on Friday after police launched a probe into a case of alleged assault on Suraj which he had got registered by furnishing false information.
The truth was revealed after cops noticed inconsistencies in Suraj’s version of events during the investigation.
An FIR was initially registered against unknown persons on charges of attempted murder after Suraj claimed he had been attacked and left disabled. According to Circle Officer (City) Goldie Gupta, police received information on January 18 that Suraj had been assaulted. Suraj claimed that when he regained consciousness the following morning, his left foot had been amputated, with only the heel remaining. Gupta said that acting on Suraj’s statement and written complaint given by him, the police registered an FIR against two unknown persons and launched an investigation into the alleged assault.
“The victim repeatedly changed his statement and tried to mislead police,” Gupta said, adding that this behaviour deepened suspicion in the investigating team.
Subsequently, the cops examined the case more closely obtaining Suraj’s call detail records which revealed that he was in a relationship with a woman whom he intended to marry. The police then questioned the woman as part of the probe. According to Gupta, questioning of the girlfriend and further investigation revealed that Suraj was desperate to secure admission to an MBBS course in 2026 at any cost. The cops found that he had gone to BHU (Banaras Hindu University) in October to obtain disability-related documents, but the attempt failed.
Police said the foot was cut off cleanly. It appeared that a machine had been used. There was no evidence of the foot being cut off with a weapon.
Gupta said that the police, besides investigating the CDR, found that the victim was not assaulted. On the basis of electronic evidence, it was concluded that no one even went to see him that night.
The officer said police searched the under-construction house and its surroundings, but the severed foot could not be recovered. Some injections were found in the field, which may be related to anaesthesia.
The victim's pharmacy degree raised further suspicions as he knew about the administration of injections. Police believed that he first injected himself with anaesthesia to avoid pain and then cut off his foot.
Gupta said the investigation revealed that Suraj called his family members at 5 am but they did not answer. After that, he called a relative who told the family about the incident.
During the investigation, police also found a diary in which Suraj used to write daily. The probe also revealed that before starting any task, he would set a goal and write it down in his diary. He had written in his diary about getting admission to MBBS in 2026. He had also filled out a marriage registration form.
Gupta said that after being informed of the incident, police took Suraj to the district hospital. From there, he was sent to a trauma centre for better treatment. The cops added that Suraj's condition was stable and his statement would be recorded after he was discharged from the hospital and further legal procedure would be followed.