Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The death of 20-year-old Rishi Nair, a student of BITS Pilani Goa, has opened up a troubling new dimension in the spate of campus fatalities, after forensic tests confirmed the presence of narcotics in his system. This marks the first case, out of five student deaths on the campus in less than a year, where drugs have been detected.
South Goa Superintendent of Police Tikam Singh Verma said the Randox test report revealed the presence of ecstasy, amphetamines, and MDMA in the intestinal sample, while traces of sedatives were found in the blood. “The autopsy attributes the cause of death to choking. While the Randox test proves consumption of narcotics, it does not by itself establish drugs as the direct cause of death,” Verma explained.
He added that narcotic substances can remain in the human body for weeks, making it premature to directly link consumption with the fatality. “We are examining every angle. Earlier, I had stated that narcotics were ruled out in the four previous deaths as all Randox results had come back negative,” the SP noted.
Police teams from Verna station have been stationed at the campus since the test results were received. Officers are recording statements of students and faculty while also scanning CCTV footage for clues. “This is the first confirmed instance of drug use in these cases. We will act firmly against anyone supplying narcotics in educational institutions,” Verma warned.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant also confirmed that an inquiry is underway into reports of drug use at the BITS Pilani Goa campus. “Investigation is ongoing, and police are examining the matter in detail,” Sawant said, acknowledging the seriousness of the revelations.
The incident has added to concerns already swirling around the institute after multiple student deaths in recent months. While four earlier cases were not linked to narcotics, the latest findings have heightened scrutiny over whether drugs have infiltrated the campus environment.
Police officials said this is the fifth student death at BITS Pilani Goa within a year, making the discovery of narcotics particularly alarming. “This is the first time narcotic substances have been identified as a factor. We are not leaving anything to assumption — all aspects are being thoroughly probed,” Verma emphasised.
The Randox machine report, a sophisticated forensic test, confirmed the presence of ecstasy, MDMA and amphetamines, along with sedatives. However, experts caution that while drug traces were found, the cause of death remains asphyxiation due to choking, according to the post-mortem.
Police are expected to intensify checks and surveillance in and around educational institutions in South Goa following this development. Authorities said curbing the supply chain of narcotics into student spaces will be the immediate focus.
