COMSO demand judicial probe into death of medical student from Meghalaya in Imphal

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 16, 2025

The Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organizations (COMSO) on Thursday sought the intervention of the Governor CH Vijayashankar for immediate setting up of an independent judicial enquiry into the alleged suicide of Abiel Salchiana Ch Marak, a medical students at Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal.

In a letter to the governor, the COMSO said, “It is with a profound sense of duty, both legal and moral, that we invoke the attention of your esteemed office to immediately initiate an independent, neutral, and judicially monitored investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death. The serious and credible allegations of institutional neglect, psychological harassment, mental trauma, and potential foul play warrant nothing less than the highest level of scrutiny and impartial enquiry.”

It 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 death by suicide within the premises of a reputed medical institute such as RIMS raises critical legal and moral questions,” the COMSO said.

It further alleged that preliminary information from various informal sources and circulating testimonies by fellow students suggested that Ms. Marak may have been subject 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),” it stated further.