Kerala Dalit Groups Demand Justice In Student Death Case

Following the death of a BDS student, Dalit organisations in Kerala are demanding Rs 10 crore compensation and a High Court-monitored probe, alleging institutional murder and caste discrimination.

Key Points

Dalit organisations in Kerala demand Rs 10 crore compensation for the family of Nithin Raj, a student who died after falling from a building.
The action council alleges 'institutional murder' and calls for a statewide hartal to protest the student's death.
A High Court-monitored probe is demanded into the circumstances surrounding the student's death at Kannur Dental College.
Police have registered a case against faculty members for abetment of suicide and under the SC/ST Act, following allegations of caste-based harassment.
Online loan apps are also under investigation in connection with the student's death, with arrests made in Uttar Pradesh.

An action council of several Dalit organisations in Kerala on Tuesday demanded Rs 10 crore compensation from the state government for the family of a first-year BDS student who died after falling from a building at Kannur Dental College in a suspected suicide case.

Demands for Justice in Kerala Student Death

In a press conference here, the action council also demanded stringent action against faculty members accused of being responsible for the death of the student, Nithin Raj (22), a first-year BDS student at the private dental college in Anjarakandy.

Raj was found critically injured after falling from the building on April 10 and later succumbed to his injuries.

The council also called for a statewide hartal in Kerala on April 28 to protest the student's death, alleging "institutional murder" rather than suicide. It also demanded a High Court-monitored probe into the student's death.

Raj's father visited the dental college along with family members during the day. He broke down when he reached the place where his son was found injured after falling from the building.

Police Investigation and Allegations

Police have registered a case against two faculty members for abetment of suicide and under provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, following allegations that Raj was harassed over his caste and complexion.

Dr M K Ram and Dr Sangeetha have been named as accused in the case for abetment of suicide and offences under the SC/ST Act.

They have filed petitions seeking anticipatory bail before a district court.

Online Loan App Connection

Additionally, police have lodged two FIRs against separate online loan apps in connection with the student's death and arrested three persons from Uttar Pradesh in one of the cases.

The three arrested individuals were reportedly running a loan app operation from Noida in Uttar Pradesh.

Raj's family has claimed that the loan issue alone could not have led to his death.

The SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act aims to protect members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes from discrimination and atrocities. Cases registered under this Act often involve complex investigations and legal proceedings. The demand for a High Court-monitored probe reflects concerns about the impartiality and thoroughness of the investigation.

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