Was it murder or was it suicide? The case of the mysterious death of Nimrita Chandani, a final-year medical student at the Bibi Aseefa Dental College in Larkana has brought hundreds out in the streets demanding justice. It is no doubt tragic to see the loss of a bright young life, but what has raised suspicions that there was foul play involved is a range of conflicting reports. Some reports claim that the girl was found hanging from a noose, while others state that she was found lying on a bed with a rope around her head. Which of the versions is true changes the nature of what transpired. This is combined with the questions over where exactly the rope marks around her neck are, which has been raised by Nimrita’s own family. One can understand the urge of the family of the young girl for wanted to know what exactly happened and there are serious questions about Nimrita’s death that must be answered. These questions are not just being asked by the family, but hundreds of students around Sindh, who have found it hard to believe the version of events coming from officials.
It does make sense to question how a girl who had been distributing sweets at noon could have taken her life by 2pm. However, one must caution that mental health can be a far more complicated subject. Either way the truth of the matter should be determined. There is no doubt that the overall atmosphere against religious minorities in interior Sindh has contributed to suspicions of foul play. And it has been good to see the broader civil society join in mourning the loss of life of a Hindu girl. The need for an impeccable probe into the matter must be taken as a priority. If indeed this was murder, then there is a need for those responsible to be apprehended. The ongoing probe has involved the questioning of two students, as well as a forensic analysis of Nimrita’s own phone. The facts should be made clear so the matter can be put to rest.