Sindh home dept to provide Chandani’s inquiry report to varsity

KARACHI: The Sindh Home Department has decided to provide the inquiry report of the death of student Nimrata Chandani to the management of Shaheed Benazir Medical University (SBMU), Larkana to save the University's reputation.

The decision to disclose the factual position Ms Nimrta's death by the Home Department is primarily meant to preserve the University's reputation that has come under severe pressure because of the recent death of another female medical student Nosheen Shah. Their mysterious deaths raised many uncomfortable questions about the affairs of the university and its administration. The SBMU is the biggest public sector medical institution of upper Sindh. Nimrata Chandani, who was a final year student of BDS in Aseefa Medical and Dental College of Shaheed Benazir Medical University, was found dead in mysterious condition in her hostel room on September 16, 2019. In similar mysterious manner, another student Noshin Shah was found dead in her hostel on November 25, 2021.

The Sindh government would provide the copy of the judicial inquiry report into Chandani's death to Management of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Medical University, Larkana following their formal request. The vice-chancellor of SBMU had approached the Sindh Home Department for a copy of the judicial inquiry conducted by District and Sessions Judge Larkana Iqbal Maitlo to defend the university’s reputation. VC Anila Atta in her submission to Sindh Home Department had said people are holding the university responsible for the two deaths and the administration is unable to defend its repute due to unavailability of judicial inquiry report. The VC said the recent death of Noshin Shah is being correlated with the death of Nimarta Chandani, by media to malign varsity’s reputation and requested immediate provision of the Chandani's judicial inquiry report.

While the report of Chandani judicial inquiry has not been disclosed, the sources of Sindh Home Department told The News "the report concluded that Nimrita Chandani had committed suicide. It clearly ruled out murder."

The judicial commission headed by District and Sessions Judge, Larkana who heard witnesses including students, teachers and staff of the Assefa Medical and Dental College, Larkana. It also reviewed the police investigations, postmortem and DNA reports, forensic data of Nimrita’s cell phone, her laptop, cell phone records of two of her close friends and host of related evidences. The judicial inquiry concluded "Nimrita Chandani was under severe stress following refusal of her marriage proposal by a friend, who was also a student of the same University. The rejection along side severe stress and frustration compelled Nimrita to commit suicide."