In a disturbing case highlighting the extreme pressure of medical entrance examinations, a 24-year-old NEET aspirant from Jaunpur allegedly amputated part of his own foot in an attempt to secure an MBBS seat under the Persons with Disability (PwD) quota, police said.
The accused, identified as Suraj Bhaskar, initially approached police claiming that unidentified assailants had attacked him and chopped off his foot. A criminal case was registered, and the incident was investigated as a violent assault.
However, investigators soon began to notice inconsistencies in Suraj’s statements. Call detail records, discrepancies in timelines, and further questioning raised serious doubts about the assault claim. The breakthrough came after police questioned his girlfriend, who allegedly revealed that Suraj had been attempting to procure a disability certificate through unfair means even before the incident.
During the investigation, police reportedly recovered anesthesia syringes and surgical instruments, which they believe were used in the self-inflicted amputation. Officials said the evidence pointed to a planned act rather than an external attack.
What started as a case of brutal violence has now been reclassified as a fabricated crime involving deliberate self-harm, police sources said. Suraj is currently undergoing medical treatment, and authorities indicated that further legal action will be initiated once his condition stabilises.
The incident has triggered concern over the intense competition surrounding medical entrance examinations and the lengths to which aspirants may go under mounting academic and social pressure. Authorities said the case also raises serious questions about misuse of reservation provisions meant to support genuinely disadvantaged candidates.
