Kerala: SC/ST panel head 'shocked' by caste abuse in student death

The ST/SC Commission Chairperson expressed grief over the death of a BDS student, allegedly due to caste discrimination by a faculty. The student's voice notes revealed abuse. An investigation is underway, with a loan app angle also being probed.

ST/SC Commission Chairperson Shekharan Miniyodan has expressed grief that issues like caste discrimination in educational institutions still persist in society. This comes after the death of a BDS student, who was found critically injured near the medical college block after falling from the building on the afternoon of April 10 in a case of suspected suicide.

The investigation has revealed the voice recordings attributed to Nithin Raj, which he sent to his friends, in which he alleges casteist abuse, humiliation, and threats by a faculty member.

'Truly Painful': Commission Chairperson Responds

Speaking with ANI, Shekharan Miniyodan termed the incident as "shocking" and expressed grief over the student's death "It's really a shocking incident...Even now, such things are happening simply because he belongs to a Scheduled Caste. This is truly painful. So far, we have understood that Police has put the relevant sections of law in the case... Now, we have to look into the post-mortem report, which can reveal how all this has happened. There are allegations that he was pushed down," he said.

"This will be clear in the postmortem report... We will verify the report and look into it... We will look at every aspect very clearly, he added.

Investigation Probes Multiple Angles

However the Kannur Police have also suggested that there could be a possible link to a loan app as the deceased had availed a loan from a mobile application during the December-January period and had since been receiving repeated calls from the lenders. The loan agency had also contacted a teacher at his college regarding the repayment, and the teacher reportedly received multiple calls in connection with the dues.

FIR Lodged, SIT Formed

The police have registered a case and added charges of abetment to suicide under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and invoked provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in the existing FIR. The FIR was lodged based on the complaint given by the father of the deceased. A special investigation team (SIT) headed by Kannur Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Hari Prasad has been formed to conduct a detailed investigation.

Teachers Suspended

Two teachers of the medical college in Kannur have been suspended and an inquiry ordered. (ANI)

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