Hostel Proprietor, Warden Arrested in Bengal Student Riti Saha's Death Case
Visakhapatnam: The city police, after days of soft-pedaling, have arrested four persons in connection with the death of Kolkata girl Riti Saha here, including the proprietor and warden of the Sadhana Ladies Hostel where she stayed.
Two of the arrested were staff members of Byjus Akash, police said on Friday. All the four have been remanded to judicial custody. The arrests were made following a spirited fight for justice by the deceased’s father, Sukdeb Saha and arrival of the Bengal police for the investigations here.
The police now conclude that this was a case of “death by suicide.” Riti Saha’s father however questioned why some of the doctors at the Venkata Rama Hospital have not been arrested.
The Sadhana Ladies Hostel proprietor Etcherla Suryakumari and warden Gannu Kumari, Byjus Akash Vizag branch’s assistant manager for operations Gangumalla Naga Venkata Durga Ravikant and its manager Gundu Rajeswara Rao were the four arrested.
The police said the arrests were based on the forensic science tests from the scene of the crime and CCTV footage from the location. “There is no evidence of any foul play in the death of Riti Saha. We treat it as a 'suicide'. Investigations are going on,” the police said.
Responded Riti’s father Sukdeb Saha, who reached here from Kolkata a day after his daughter’s fall from the third floor of the hostel. “The four arrests are not enough. I have many questions that are yet to be answered. I believe that my daughter died due to deliberate and wilful negligence (of the doctors, management) at the Venkata Rama Hospital.”
He asked, “Why was Riti's Dying Declaration not recorded at the Venkata Rama Hospital? Why was a medico-legal case not registered? Why was it that the police were not informed immediately? Nor were the parents informed. The dress of the Riti was not preserved for forensic examination. Why? Why was she not provided oxygen during the golden hours?”
“Why was Riti admitted in the Venkata Rama Hospital where there was no neurosurgeon. They were aware that Riti was having neuro injury. Why did the Venkata Rama Hospital not hire a neurosurgeon immediately? Why is it that the Venkata Rama Hospital CCTV footage is not available for investigation? Why are the medical treatment documents not given to us?”
“After seeing these entire incidents, I believe this was deliberate and wilful negligence at the Venkata Rama Hospital, which took my daughter’s life.”
