Parents of the first year medical student Nishant Kumar, who died on Friday after reportedly falling off the roof of his hostel at Bhim Bhoi Medical College and Hospital in Balangir, Odisha, alleged on Saturday that their son was a victim of ragging by seniors and he was murdered.

Nishant was a native of Haryana. He reportedly went to the terrace of his hostel after having lunch on Friday and fell from there. However, many have wondered how Nishant could fall from the terrace as it has a four-feet wall.

Nishant’s family reached Balangir, around 350km from state capital Bhubaneswar, on Saturday to take the body. His mother told reporters: “My son was a good student and cleared the NEET examination in his first attempt without even taking any coaching. He was mentally tough. But here he was psychologically tormented by seniors and his life turned miserable. He had earlier told me about ragging taking place here.”

Nishant had come to the hostel only one month back after being enrolled in the medical institution.

“On Thursday night and also on Friday morning, my son made a WhatsApp call. His face was swollen. He was psychologically tormented and later murdered. I don’t want to name any one but the seniors murdered my son,” the mother said.

Nishant’s father said: “During the time of admission, the medical college authorities had said it was a ragging-free campus. Later we heard that a student committed suicide last year.”

The family members alleged that Nishant had earlier told them about the ongoing ragging on the campus. “When we asked him to report to the authorities, Nishant repeatedly refused as it would earn him the wrath of the seniors. The seniors had created a WhatsApp group and asked the juniors to report to them at midnight. Two days back, the seniors had abused him and he was mentally disturbed,” the parents alleged.

Nishant’s uncle Rabindra said: “The seniors are behind the death. Either someone had pushed him or he took the extreme step after being unable to bear the torture of the seniors.”

However, the medical college dean Dr. Sabita Mohapatra denied the charge of ragging. “Our officials keep track of the college and hostel campus and the campus is ragging-free. We have a ten member anti-ragging committee and it looks into each case of ragging and takes steps so that no such thing takes place in the campus,” Dr. Mohapatra told reporters.

Balangir superintendent of police K. Nitin Dagudu said: “We have started the investigation. We will also talk to the hostel inmates and other officials.”