Rajasthan minority panel summons police, university officials

According to Benny’s father C R Benny, he was a final-year MBA student at Amity University, Jaipur, and was assaulted by some university students on November 14 and passed away on November 17 (Representational Image)

Almost three weeks since the death of Stanley Benny (23), the Jaipur police are yet to conclude whether his death was a murder, even as the Rajasthan State Commission for Minorities (RSCM) summoned university and police officials Friday. According to Benny’s father C R Benny, he was a final-year MBA student at Amity University, Jaipur, and was assaulted by some university students on November 14 and passed away on November 17. He was admitted to a hospital between these dates but the university administration did not inform the family, C R Benny has alleged.

The Rajasthan minority panel chairperson Jasbir Singh on Friday summoned police officer Hassan as well as university proctor S S Bhal and hostel warden Rajvir. Speaking with them in the presence of C R Benny, he asked police for a report on the death by December 29.

Jaipur rural’s Chandwaji police station had initially lodged an FIR under IPC section 174 (unnatural death), but after a complaint by his father, added IPC section 302 (murder). “The police have failed to act promptly in the case even though we have submitted several evidences,” C R Benny said. “On November 14, he told his cousin about the assault that day. Second, his roommate is also an MBA student and is also a witness and has stated that Stanley was assaulted. Third, the collar of Stanley’s shirt was torn. Fourth, his neck had some marks. He used to wear a silver cross which was snatched from his neck,” he said.

Benny said he came to know about the assault only on the evening of November 16, when Stanley called him up. “I was in Shillong when I got the call. He told me about the assault and had difficulty breathing. I told him not worry and that I will send my assistant to pick him up. However, he passed away at 7.45 pm at NIMS Hospital the next day,” he said.

The father said the university did not inform him about the assault or that Stanley was admitted to a hospital, and that he got to know about it through Stanley himself. “Also, they admitted him to NIMS hospital. He could have been saved had he been taken in a better hospital,” he said.

Amir Hassan, the Station House Officer of Chandwaji police station, said: “We have questioned about 15 students in connection with the death.” He said that the main suspects are Gunjeet Juneja and Jeet, who were named by C R Benny in his complaint, while there were about 5-7 others who allegedly assaulted his son. “His head had a three centimetre injury mark. We are now awaiting a report by the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL),” Hassan said.

While in the post-mortem report the medical jurist reserved the cause of Stanley Benny’s death, Deputy Superintendent of Police Sheela Fogawat said that the immediate cause of his death was a cardiac arrest. “However, the investigation is still on and we are comprehensively analysing and working on all allegations made by the family. As the investigation proceeds, things will become clearer,” she said.

A university official said that “immediately after the incident, the Vice-Chancellor instructed the Student Grievance Cell to investigate the matter and ensure such an incident is never repeated”.