Kannur, 13 April (H.S.):A seven-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the death of BDS student Nithin Raj at Ancharakandi Medical College in Kannur, as police intensify efforts to uncover the circumstances leading to the incident.
Kannur City Police Commissioner confirmed that two faculty members—Dr. M.K. Ram and Dr. Sangeetha—have been named as accused in the case. Charges of abetment to suicide have been registered against them. While the police have stated that there is no doubt that Nithin Raj’s death was a case of suicide, the focus of the investigation is now on whether he was driven to take the extreme step.
The Commissioner further clarified that allegations of ragging will also be examined as part of the probe. The SIT is expected to travel to Thiruvananthapuram to gather additional evidence and pursue leads related to the case.
In a significant development, provisions under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act have also been invoked, indicating the seriousness of the allegations and the possibility of caste-based harassment.
Investigators have also uncovered a financial angle to the case. According to the police, Nithin Raj had taken a loan through a mobile loan application. During the loan process, he reportedly provided the phone number of a college teacher as a reference contact. Subsequently, the teacher began receiving frequent calls from the loan app operators, which may have contributed to mounting pressure on the student.
The teacher has since filed a complaint with the police regarding the repeated calls. Authorities are now investigating whether Nithin had deliberately shared the teacher’s number or if the loan app had accessed it without his knowledge through data extraction.
The SIT will also record statements from Nithin’s classmates and others associated with him to piece together a clearer picture of the events leading up to his death.
Police officials reiterated that the investigation is being conducted thoroughly, considering all possible angles—including academic pressure, financial stress, alleged harassment, and external influences—to ensure accountability and justice.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman
