Uttar Pradesh youth amputates foot to seek disability quota in admission to medical college

“I will become an MBBS doctor in 2026.” Hundreds of medical aspirants have probably given this self-motivation speech to themselves, but one teenager from Uttar Pradesh took an unheard of gamble to make his dreams come true: he cut off his foot to qualify for the disabled quota.

Police said Suraj Bhaskar, aged around 20, had failed the medical entrance test (NEET) twice for admission to a government medical college, prompting him to take the extreme step and claim that he had lost a leg in a violent attack.

While police have figured out his ruse, they are currently seeking legal advice to determine what sections of criminal law may be held against him.

The findings of the police investigation into the incident that took place in Halilpur village of Jaunpur district were shared with Additional Inspector of Police (City) Ayush Srivastava on Wednesday, January 21, 2026.

The matter came to light when the candidate’s elder brother, Akash Bhaskar, claimed to the police on Sunday, January 18, 2026, that “unidentified assailants” had attacked Suraj the previous night and left him unconscious with his leg severed before escaping.

Accordingly, a case was registered and an investigation was initiated, which was later handed over to City Circle Constable Goldy Gupta, he said.

During the investigation, the police found many inconsistencies in Mr. Suraj’s statement. Police said the examination of her phone and questioning of a woman whose number was revealed during the investigation further deepened the suspicion.

Investigators also recovered a diary belonging to Mr. Suraj in which he had written, “I will become an MBBS doctor in 2026.”

Police said he went under mental stress after failing the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET) exam twice.

Reasonable accommodation and disability rights

In order to be accepted under the disability quota, he allegedly plotted to become physically disabled by amputating his own foot and staging the incident as a criminal assault.

“The defendant attempted to mislead the investigation with a fabricated story, but his allegations did not stand up to scrutiny during sustained questioning and review of evidence,” police said, adding that further legal action was ongoing.

Line Bazar Station House Officer Satish Singh said that Suraj is currently receiving treatment at a private hospital.