Begusarai: More than five years after Kasturba Gandhi Residential School warden Rinku Kumari was found hanging on campus and her death was treated as a suicide, a Bihar Police SIT has concluded that she was murdered and the crime was allegedly staged to appear as suicide.Acting on a fresh probe ordered by the Patna high court, police have arrested the school’s caretaker, Ajit Kumar alias Bablu, and the deceased’s neighbour, Kaushal Kumar. Both have been produced before a court, while the investigation is underway.Rinku Kumari was found hanging on the school premises on April 4, 2021. During the reinvestigation, the SIT examined forensic and medical evidence, witness statements, call records, financial transactions and digital evidence.IG Vikas Vaibhav, who headed the SIT after the high court quashed the police closure report in the case, said evidence suggested that Rinku was strangled before her body was hung to create the appearance of suicide. He also pointed to serious lapses in the original investigation, saying crucial forensic indicators of a possible homicide had been overlooked.The fresh probe further uncovered a financial dispute linked to a failed land deal. According to the SIT, the deceased had allegedly paid Rs 15 lakh to one of the accused and was seeking its return.Vaibhav said the investigation was still underway and more arrests could follow if additional evidence emerged. The case will now proceed to trial.
