Kannur, 20 July (H.S.):The Crime Branch has arrested Dr Ram, the prime accused in the suicide case of Anjarakandy Dental College student Nithin Raj, nearly three months after the incident. He was taken into custody from Kodagu district in Karnataka following an extensive search across multiple states.

Dr Ram was brought to Kannur after his arrest for further investigation and legal proceedings. The Crime Branch had been searching for him since the case was registered, with investigators tracking his movements across Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and other locations.

The investigation gathered pace after the Supreme Court dismissed Dr Ram’s anticipatory bail plea. Earlier, the Crime Branch had received information that he was hiding in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. Investigators later found that he had allegedly stayed at different locations in Chittoor and Guntur while evading arrest.

During the investigation, officials also received intelligence that Dr Ram had travelled to Bengaluru, where some of his relatives are believed to be living. A Crime Branch team conducted searches at locations linked to him in the city but failed to locate him. Fresh intelligence later revealed that he had moved to Kodagu in Karnataka.

Acting on the tip-off, the Crime Branch team reached Kodagu and arrested Dr Ram. According to reports, he had allegedly received assistance from a close relative, a local political leader in Andhra Pradesh, who is suspected of helping him remain in hiding. Police are expected to examine these allegations during the ongoing investigation.

Nithin Raj, a student of Anjarakandy Dental College in Kannur, died by suicide on April 10 after jumping from the college building. His death sparked widespread public outrage and demands for a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances leading to the tragedy.

With the arrest of the main accused, investigators are expected to intensify the probe to establish the sequence of events that led to Nithin Raj’s death and determine whether any other individuals were involved in the case.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman