Agartala, June 11 (IANS) In an incident that has triggered widespread concern, a 24-year-old woman employee of a private medical college and hospital in Tripura was found dead under mysterious circumstances on the institution’s campus, prompting both police and administrative investigations.
The Tripura government’s Home Department on Thursday night ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident and directed that a report be submitted within 15 days.
In an official order, Additional Secretary of the Home Department Tarit Kanti Chakma said the state government had decided to conduct a magisterial inquiry into the death of the 24-year-old woman, whose body was found on the premises of Shantiniketan Medical College and Hospital in Agartala on Wednesday night.
West Tripura District Magistrate and Collector Dr Vishal Kumar has been entrusted with conducting the inquiry and has been asked to submit a detailed report covering all aspects of the incident to the Home Department within 15 days, the order said.
The deceased had earlier worked as a caretaker at the medical college and was recently posted to its examination cell.
According to reports, the woman’s body was recovered from the college premises around midnight on Wednesday. Soon after the incident came to light, police personnel reached the spot and initiated an investigation to ascertain the circumstances leading to her death.
On Thursday morning, in the presence of her family members and representatives of the medical college authorities, the body was shifted to the government-run Agartala Government Medical College and Govind Ballabh Pant Hospital for post-mortem examination.
Officials of Amtali Police Station said that forensic experts from the Tripura Police visited the scene and collected relevant circumstantial evidence.
Investigators have also seized and are examining CCTV footage from different locations within the medical college campus.
A police official said that after receiving information about the incident, police found the woman hanging and immediately began a detailed investigation into all aspects of the case.
Family members of the deceased have alleged foul play and claimed that she was murdered. They have demanded a thorough, transparent and impartial investigation to uncover the truth behind her death.
The allegations have heightened public concern and led to widespread demands for a comprehensive probe into the incident.
Police officials, however, said that all possible angles were being examined and that the exact cause of death would only be established after the post-mortem examination and forensic analysis reports are received.
Investigators have not ruled out any possibility and are continuing to gather evidence as part of the ongoing inquiry.
Further details are awaited as the investigation progresses. Authorities have not officially confirmed allegations of rape or murder, and police have urged people to refrain from speculation until the investigation is completed.
The exact circumstances surrounding the woman’s death are yet to be established, officials said.
Meanwhile, local residents have alleged that the woman may have been subjected to sexual assault before being killed on the college premises. However, these claims have not been verified by the authorities and remain under investigation.
Police said that all facts and allegations would be examined as part of the probe before any conclusions are drawn.
–IANS
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