Teachers were aware of dispute between 2 deceased researchers

Aurangabad: City police sent a report to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University (Bamu) and Government Institute of Science (GIS) on Sunday in two researchers' burning case.

In the report, it was mentioned that three teachers and one officer from Bamu and one teacher from GIS were aware of the dispute between Ph D researchers Gajanan Munde and Pooja Salve, yet, they did not report this to their seniors.

Higher-level sources said that the teachers and officers had no director or indirect involvement in the incident.

According to details, Gajanan Munde, a Ph D researcher from the Zoology Department of Bamu committed self-immolation by pouring petrol on his persons at GIS Laboratory on November 21, 2022. He also hugged Pooja Salve after setting himself on fire.

Gajanan died on the same while Pooja battled for life for 54 days and died.

The notice of the incident was taken on the State level.

Commissioner of police Dr Nikhil Gupta set up a special investigation team (SIT) under the leadership of police inspector Geeta Bagwade to probe the matter.

A detailed probe of three teachers and one officer was conducted on the basis of Pooja’s statement. The enquiry of a lady teacher who was present at GIS on a fateful day was also done.

All of them were aware of the extreme dispute between Gajanan and Pooja.

However, no one informed Vishakha Samiti, head of the university and GIS. The girl had informed many persons about harassment from Gajanan.

She had given an oral complaint to the university, GIS and police.

The boy had attempted suicide thrice before the incident.

He poured petrol on his person near the Shivaji Maharaj statue on September 16, 2022. An officer from the university who saw this and convinced the youth did not inform the administration.

Both the girl and boy were taken to Cidco Police Station when they quarrelling.

The girl did not lodge any complaint. But, she orally informed Begumpura Police Station. Police called Gajanan to the police station and grilled him. He had put this on his Whatsapp status.

When their dispute became extreme, Pooja lodged a complaint with Begumpura Police Station which did not take it seriously. The incident of burning took place on the third day after the complaint.

The sources said that police sent the report to the educational institutions pointing towards shortcomings in the university and the institute.

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They phoned each other many times

Police probed the phone calls details of Gajanan and Pooj between November 20, 2020, and November 21, 2021. They called up each other hundreds of times.

Their combined photographs were also found by police.

Police also collected Pooja’s pen drive in which evidence of harassment by Gajanan was found. A two-page suicide note written by Gajan was recovered from his hostel room.

Relatives of Pooja claimed that the parents of Gajana were also involved in it.

But, the sources further said that no evidence of his parents' involvement was found in the case.

Meanwhile, the panel set up by the university administration submitted its report. Its copy was also sent to the city police. In the report, it was stated that Bamu has nothing to do it with, nor the incident occurred on its campus.

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Police officers being probed

A probe of the then police inspector and PSI who was a duty officer, for ignoring a complaint lodged by Pooja Salve on November 17. The sources said that there is a possibility of departmental action against the officers.