The tragic passing of a 22-year-old Dalit medical student has ignited significant anger across Kerala, following claims that he endured continuous derogatory remarks and mistreatment from faculty members related to his caste, skin color, and his parents’ status as daily wage workers.
Nithin Raj R L, hailing from Uzhamalakkal village in Thiruvananthapuram, fell from a building at the Kannur Dental College campus in Anjarakandy on Friday. The first-year Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) student was promptly taken to the medical college hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
His family has expressed concerns that there may be foul play involved in Nithin’s demise.
Initially, the Kannur police recorded a case of unnatural death; however, by Sunday, they escalated the case to include charges of abetment of suicide under BNS section 108. Additionally, they invoked provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, leading to the involvement of two faculty members in the investigation.
A special investigation team, led by Assistant Commissioner of Police Hariprasad, has been assembled to delve into the matter. Preliminary findings suggest Nithin had taken out a loan from an online application, with agents threatening him over the phone after he failed to repay. Reports indicate that these agents may have contacted faculty members regarding the issue. The cyber police have initiated a separate investigation based on the claimed threats from the loan app’s agents.
In response to the allegations of student harassment, the management of the self-financing college has taken disciplinary action. On Sunday, they suspended a department head and an associate professor, launching an internal inquiry into the claims.
This decision followed the emergence of an audio recording, allegedly featuring Nithin, where he recounts experiences of humiliation and harassment by faculty members. In the recording, he reportedly states, “A teacher openly insulted me, and I suffered extensively. My answer sheets were shared in class to highlight my spelling mistakes. Recently, during class, he mocked my mother… After leaving the staff room, he called me an idiot. I responded, ‘same to you.’ The staff room is a place where we face collective bullying. He threatened me, saying if I spoke out, my hands and legs would be broken. I dared him to try.”
Nithin’s sister, Nikitha, revealed that her brother frequently faced derogatory remarks concerning his appearance, caste, and family background. “He mentioned that the department head would insult him, calling him a mad dog. He was ridiculed in class, and the department head encouraged other students to laugh at him. Other students had previously lodged complaints against the head, but no actions were taken. Just two hours before his fall, he spoke to us. We suspect foul play and are seeking clarity about his death. He didn’t fall from his college building but from the medical college’s structure on the same campus,” she stated.
Nithin had enrolled in the self-financing dental college in September of the previous year.
Principal Vinod Moni did not respond to inquiries for comments.
The student’s death has spurred widespread protests throughout the state. The State Human Rights Commission has requested a report on the incident from the Kannur City Police Commissioner.
Ramesh Chennithala, a member of the Congress Working Committee, has called for a thorough investigation into Nithin Raj’s death. “Authorities must take seriously the allegations of caste and color-based insults he faced. Disciplinary measures against the faculty should extend beyond mere suspension. The caste discrimination in Kerala, a state known for its progressive movements, is appalling. In the last decade of the LDF government, attacks on SC/ST communities have significantly increased,” he stated.
