Kerala: CM orders CBI probe into vet student's death after meeting family

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday, 9 March, ordered a CBI probe into the death of J.S. Siddharthan, a second-year BVSC student who was found "hanging" in the bathroom of his hostel at the College of Veterinary & Animal Sciences in Wayanad's Pookode on 18 February.

The probe was announced soon after Siddharthan's father Jayaprakash met Vijayan on Saturday.

Siddharthan, a second-year Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry student at Pookode, was found dead in the college hostel washroom. His parents have claimed that some of his college mates told them that he was beaten to death by some senior students and SFI activists.

After meeting the chief minister, Jayaprakash informed media that the CM gave them a patient hearing and agreed to their demand for a CBI probe.

“The CM categorically told us that he will do the needful to direct a CBI probe into the matter. We want a CBI probe to ensure that all those involved in brutally ‘killing’ my son are brought to the book. Such an incident should never occur again,” said Jayaprakash.

Incidentally, Wayanad Lok Sabha MP Rahul Gandhi had on Wednesday written to CM Vijayan demanding a CBI probe into Siddharth's death.

“A murder case should be registered against the Dean and the Assistant warden. A mere suspension is not enough. They should be dismissed. There are still two more students who brutally assaulted my son, but due to their influence, they are still not arraigned as accused. These two names are there in the report of the anti-ragging squad, but surprisingly they have been excluded from the police probe,” Jayaprakash said.

"The son of a gynaecologist and a senior student at Nedumangad government hospital is implicated in Sidharthan's death. A student named Akshay also played a role in his death. Akshay's father is a politician and a plantation owner. Akshay should be included in the list of suspects. Akshay is not a witness but a suspect. This is quite evident," added Jayaprakash.

The father stated that according to the post-mortem report, the injury marks in his son's body and his empty stomach indicated that he had been brutally assaulted and wasn't given anything to eat.

So far, 18 persons have been arrested in this connection, while the vice chancellor, Dean, and the assistant warden of the institute have been placed under suspension.

Meanwhile, Youth Congress state president Rahul Mamkootathil, Mahila Congress state president and MP Jebi Mather and KSU state president Aloysius Xavier were on a hunger strike demanding a CBI probe into the death of Siddharthan. They ended their protest at the father's request.

Taking a dig at the CM, Mamkootathil requested CPI(M) to not destroy evidence related to Siddharthan's death and to not support SFI regardless of the crime.

Kerala governor Arif Mohammed Khan had also written to the Kerala High Court seeking a probe by a sitting judge or a retired judge of the high court or the apex court.

Incidentally, the case was raised by an ally of the ruling CPI(M)-led Left at its leaders' meet chaired recently by CM Vijayan.

The leaders of the RJD, an ally of the Left, had asked the CPI(M) to reign in their student organisation, SFI, whose activists have been under the scanner for the ‘death’ of Siddharth.

Last week, the state police had come under fire for avoiding murder and conspiracy charges against the 18 SFI activists.

They had been booked for abetment of suicide, wrongful restraint and voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means, under the IPC and the Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act. The accused were arrested under IPC sections 306, 323, 324, 341 and 342 and Prohibition of Ragging Act.

J Ajay, 24, of Pathanamthitta, A Althaf, 21, of, Kollam, V. Adithyan, 20, of Kozhikode, E.K. Soud Risal, 21, of Malappuram, Sinjo Johnson, 22, of Kollam, M Muhammad Danish, of Malappuram, 23, and R.S. Kashinathan, 25, of Kollam were arrested on 3 March.

K Arun, 23, and Amal Ehsan, 23, of Mananthavady, N Asif Khan, 23, of Thiruvananthapuram, K. Akhil, 28, of Palakkad, Rahan Binoy, 20, S.D. Akash, 22, and R.D. Sreehari, 23, all residents of Thiruvananthapuram, Idukki resident S. Abhishek, 23, Dons Daayi, 23, of Thodupuzha and Sultan Bathery resident Billgates Joshua, 23, had been arrested earlier. Ameen Akbar Ali, 25, of Malappuram, surrendered in court on 2 March.

Congress had demanded a CBI probe into the incident. Opposition leader V.D. Satheesan said Siddarthan's parents had alleged that a mob led by SFI leaders held a public trial for days without giving him food or water and brutally assaulted him to death before hanging him. "A student has died and it is a serious matter and teachers were also part of this brutality," said Satheesan.