Deoria: The mysterious death of a 61-year-old man from Maharashtra, whose body was found in the water tank of Maharshi Deoraha Baba Medical College in Deoria on October 6, has now turned into a murder investigation.
Police said the postmortem findings and on-site evidence suggest that the man, identified as Ashok Gawande from Thane district, could not have reached the rooftop water tank on his own due to his medical condition.
According to investigators, Ashok was admitted to the surgical ward on September 25 with deep wounds on his right leg and foot. “Given his condition, he was barely able to walk, let alone climb stairs to reach the roof,” a senior police official said. The police and SOG teams are collecting forensic evidence from the surgical ward and the rooftop area where the body was found.
Ashok’s blue shirt and a hospital bedsheet were recovered near the tank. His underwear and socks were also found close by. Records from the hospital show that Ashok had been admitted under mysterious circumstances, and the mobile number listed with his address in the hospital entry register belongs to a man in Moradabad. Call records reveal that Ashok had spoken to several people on the day he was admitted.
Police sources said that the night before Ashok disappeared, on September 27, the ward nurse and attendant on duty fell asleep around midnight. When they woke up, Ashok was missing from bed number 41. Other patients in the ward told police that they were asleep at the time and did not notice anything unusual.
Investigators have also learned that there were family disputes between Ashok and his wife in Mumbai. His wife had reportedly filed a case against him at a local police station following a domestic dispute. Police are now examining more than 20 mobile numbers linked to Ashok’s relatives, acquaintances, and medical staff to trace his last contacts.
A key suspect in the case is the security guard who was on duty the night Ashok went missing. Police noted that he went on leave the following day and has not returned since. “We are looking into every angle, including staff involvement,” said an officer familiar with the case.
The frequent visits of police and SOG teams to the college have created tension among hospital employees, many of whom are now avoiding discussions about the incident.
Ashok’s brother-in-law, Prafull, said he was supposed to travel to Deoria on Monday but was unable to do so due to a family ritual. “I will contact Deoria police on Tuesday,” he told reporters over the phone.
Police officials said they have gathered several crucial leads and are confident that the case will be solved soon. “We are close to uncovering the truth,” one officer said.
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