Shillong, May 15: The Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organizations (COMSO) has petitioned Governor CH Vijayashankar for setting up of a judicial enquiry into the alleged suicide of Abiel Salchiana Ch Marak, a medical student at Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal.
In a letter to the governor, the COMSO said that an independent probe is necessary as there are serious allegations of institutional neglect, psychological harassment, mental trauma, and potential foul play.
CoMSO said the constitutional rights to life, dignity, and equality under Articles 14 and 21 of the Indian Constitution, along with the duties of the State under Article 41 and Article 46, are directly implicated in this matter.
“Ms. Abiel Salchiana Ch Marak was a bright and aspiring medical student whose dedication to the medical profession and academic diligence were well recognized by her peers and community. Her sudden and unexplained suicide within the premises of a reputed medical institute such as RIMS raises critical legal and moral questions,” the COMSO said.
According to CoMSO, preliminary information from various informal sources and circulating testimonies by fellow students suggested that Marak may have been subjected to mental harassment, academic pressure, discriminatory treatment, and possibly institutional lapses in providing psychological and emotional support.
“In the absence of a transparent, impartial and high-level enquiry, we fear that this incident may be relegated to mere statistics. This would be a gross miscarriage of justice, especially in light of the increasing pattern of institutional violence, caste and ethnic-based discrimination, and failure of academic institutions to uphold student welfare and anti-ragging policies as mandated by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the National Medical Commission (NMC),” the CoMSO added.
Earlier in the day, a prayer meeting was held for the departed soul of the student at RIMS, participated by teachers, students and staff.(in picture)
