IMPHAL, April 30: Bangalore police still maintains that Richard Loitongbam, an Architecture student from Manipur in a Bangalore institute, died due to injuries received in a road accident before he was beaten up by a senior student of the institute.
Meanwhile, national channels have reported that he died after suffering cerebral haemorrhage.
According to the report filed with the Madanayakanahalli PS by the hostel warden S Sudhakar, Loitam met with an accident on April 16 and was subsequently treated at Sapthagiri Hospital.
On the night of April 17, he reportedly quarrelled with his hostel mate Vishal Banerjee over watching an IPL match. Another student, Sayed Afzal Ali, intervened and hit Loitam on the face and head. Following the altercation, Loitam returned to his room and was found dead the next day.
However, with the post-mortem report remaining inconclusive, police are looking for more leads. They said they are now waiting for the Forensic Science Laboratory report, which may take a month for completion.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister of Manipur Ibobi Singh has said that he has written to his counterpart, the chief minister of Karnataka and also Manipur Government is making all possible efforts to bring the culprits to book.
Karnataka police have begun investigations into the death of a 19-year-old Manipur student under suspicious circumstances in his college hostel in Bangalore on April 18.
“Police have begun investigations into the death of Loitam Richard. Law as per action will be taken against the guilty”, Home Minister R Ashok told reporters.
Loitam’s death had sparked protests demanding justice for him amid allegations that he was a victim of an assault by his seniors.
Two students of Acharya NRV School of Architecture, suspected to have been involved in the incident were suspected from the hostel yesterday and directed not to leave the city without police permission.
Loitam, a second semester student of the college, was found dead on his hostel bed on the afternoon of April 18.
While police have maintained he died in a two-wheeler accident on Apr 16, his friends insist that he died due to injuries after a severe assault by seniors on April 17.
Disappointed with police handling of the case, students and activists had staged protests in Jantar Mantar in Delhi and in Town Hall in Banglore yesterday.
