Every year, millions of aspirants appear for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), envisioning admission to India’s top medical institutions. They study for 10–15 hours a day, isolate themselves from their families, and stop attending events, all in the hope of succeeding in India’s largest medical entrance exam. While these steps are understandable, as one needs to stay away from distractions, have you ever heard of someone harming themselves to secure a seat? And the harm here does not mean consuming too much caffeine or ignoring health, but literally amputating one’s own leg. Yes! that is exactly what happened in the case of a UP man who sacrificed a limb for an MBBS seat.
Hailing from Khalilpur village in Jaunpur (Uttar Pradesh), 24-year-old Suraj Bhaskar, a D Pharma degree holder, had been preparing for NEET for the past three years. Unfortunately, high cut-off made it impossible for him to secure admission to a reputed institute, as he failed twice. Low-spirited, Suraj then took a decision that no one could have imagined. He chopped off his own limb to secure a disability quota, hoping it would pave his way into an MBBS course.
On the night of January 18, he was sleeping alone at an under-construction site when, according to him, the incident occurred. Suraj claimed that two assailants came to his place around midnight and beat him until he passed out. When he finally regained consciousness around 5 am, he found that his toes had been cut off and was immediately taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The plan seemed believable but was short-lived. Soon, the police got involved when the aspirant’s elder brother, Akash Bhaskar, called them on Sunday, alleging that “unidentified assailants” had assaulted Suraj the previous night, leaving him unconscious with a severed foot before fleeing.
According to PTI reports, a case was registered and an investigation was launched, which was later handed over to City Circle Officer Goldy Gupta.
Police found several inconsistencies in Suraj’s statements during the investigation. They examined his phone and questioned a woman he had contacted, which further raised their suspicion. They also found a diary with an entry stating, “I will become an MBBS doctor in 2026.”
In reality, Suraj could not bear failing twice and therefore took this extreme step due to mental stress, the police said. He orchestrated his own disability in an attempt to wrongfully secure the physically disabled quota.
“The accused tried to mislead the investigation with a fabricated story, but his claims did not stand scrutiny during sustained questioning and examination of evidence,” the police said, adding that further legal action is underway.
Line Bazar Station House Officer Satish Singh said Suraj is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital.
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