Congress seeks CBI probe into death of student at Kerala Veterinary university

PTI, Mar 3, 2024, 2:54 PM IST

Congress leader V D Satheesan on Sunday sought a CBI probe into the recent death of a student at Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University in Wayanad.

In a letter written to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, he said that details of the brutal assault that led to the death of 20-year-old Sidharthan J S on February 18, are emerging out from the university.

”His parents are alleging 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. It’s a serious matter that the teachers were also part of this brutality,” Satheesan said.

The leader of the opposition in the assembly also alleged that senior CPI(M) leaders of the district had threatened the investigating officers.

The Congress leader alleged that there were serious lapses in the police investigation and they (police) even attempted to protect the accused in the case.

”We cannot expect a fair investigation from the police. Such an incident should not repeat in Kerala. The family is demanding a CBI probe. The state government should consider all the factors and hand over the case to CBI to bring out the facts and conspiracy behind the incident,” Satheesan said.

Sidharthan, who was a second year student of Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, was found hanging in the bathroom of his hostel on February 18.

Police have arrested all the 18 accused in the case and today 15 of them have been remanded to judicial custody.

His parents have claimed that some of his collegemates told them that he was beaten to death by some local SFI leaders and activists.

The father contended that according to the postmortem report, his son’s body had signs of injuries and an empty stomach, which indicated that he was brutally beaten up and not given any food.

Following the parents’ claims, the political waters in the state were stirred as the Congress and the BJP accused the ruling CPI(M)’s student wing SFI of beating Sidharthan to death.

The Students Federation of India (SFI) has denied the allegations.

The police, which had initially registered a case of unnatural death, had later booked 18 students for various offences, including abetment of suicide, wrongful restraint and voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means, under the IPC and the Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act.