AIIMS student's death: Parents move HC for CBI probe

The parents of a tribal MBBS student, who had allegedly committed suicide in the AIIMS campus three years ago, today approached the Delhi High Court seeking a CBI probe into their son's death.
Gulab Chand Ahirwal and his wife Shanti Devi, hailing from Madhya Pradesh, filed a petition contending that the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has failed to conduct a proper inquiry into the death of their son Balmukund Bharati on March 3, 2010 and sought a CBI probe into his untimely death.
They also sought a court's direction to government and AIIMS management seeking financial compensation for their 24 year-old son's death.

In the plea, the parents said, "Balmukund who was a meritorious student and has lost his life under mysterious circumstances to the organised caste discrimination...
"Respondent AIIMS and other authorities have failed to properly investigate the exact reason for the death and they have also failed to pay any compensation till date for untimely and unnatural demise of Balmukund."
They alleged that "organised caste discrimination is rampant in the AIIMS which is within the knowledge of AIIMS administration and the authorities have not taken any steps."

Claiming that letters have been written to Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and other authorities concerned besides National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and also National Commission for SC and ST, the parents said nothing has been done so far.

On March 3, 2010, the body was the final-year MBBS student was found hanging in his hostel room after failing the exams.
The petition is listed for hearing tomorrow before Justice V K Jain.
In the plea, the parents alleged that Balmukund was discriminated by faculty members on the basis of caste and he was failed by the teacher concerned.
The plea said the health ministry in 2006 had appointed a three-member committee under UGC chairman Sukhadeo Thorat to probe allegations of caste-based discrimination at AIIMS.
The parents referred to the committee report in which it was said that the institute, despite requests, has not taken any initiative to arrange remedial coaching in English, basic courses or any other spheres for SC/ST students as is required by central government educational institutions.