Nikhil Bankar, the 21-year-old Chetna College student, who slashed his girlfriend and then committed suicide by stabbing himself, required psychiatric help, which was supposed to be available at the college as per University of Mumbai rules. However, no such help was available at the college. Meanwhile, the 21-year-old girl continues to battle for life in Gurunanak Hospital in Bandra.
Explaining the girl’s condition, intensive care unit (ICU) in-charge Dr Narendra Sharma told The Asian Age that Gunjan (name changed) remains critical. “Gunjan is still critical, on a ventilator and battling for life. Her blood pressure is also being monitored and maintained through medication. Until her blood pressure is back to normal nothing can be said about her life in certain terms.”
“Bankar’s case was not dealt with in the correct psychological technique. He should have been handled with care. Banker’s age was susceptible and he required counselling for anger management. People should not think about the social stigma,” explained psychiatrist Dr Arun John.
A month ago, Bankar’s former girlfriend had approached the Kherwadi police station with her parents after an altercation with him. The police had issued an oral warning to him.
Speaking on the counselling measures, principal S.V. Surnis of Chetna College where Bankar studied said, “There are trained counsellors in our college, but whether Bankar had undergone counselling will be difficult to say as there are 5,000 students in our college.”
Meanwhile, the family of deceased Bankar insisted that he was not in need of psychiatric help. “He was not a retard to need psychiatric help,” said Bankar’s sister-in-law.