Wayanad: Kerala Police have arrested a SFI Unit President and Secretary in connection with the mysterious death of a student of the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University at Pookode earlier this month, sources said. It is learnt that the two main accused were arrested on Friday March 1 hours after they surrendered before the police in the case. So far, nine students have been arrested in the case while police have named 18 accused in the case so far.
The case is related to the mysterious death of JS Sidharth, a Thiruvananthapuram native and 2nd year student at the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Pookode was found hanging in the college hostel washroom on Feb 18. Initially police registered an unnatural death case in the incident.
But in the subsequent investigation, police registered a case under serious sections 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.
Investigations revealed that the victim student Siddharth was subjected to torture and severe beating for three consecutive days in the hostel and on the hill behind the college on charges of misbehaving with a girl. Police said that on the night of the 16 Feb, Siddharth was subjected to mob trial and was beaten up mercilessly.
On February 17 also the mob trial, physical assault and mental torture continued at the courtyard of university campus, police said. On February 18, Siddharth, who said he was going to take a bath, was later found dead in the washroom of the hostel.
Amid an uproar, a 20-member team headed by Kalpetta DySP TN Sajevan was set up to investigate the case. SFI unit secretary Abhishek and victim's classmate Rahan, who called Siddharth before the incident, were arrested earlier. The SFI unit president K Arun, who was absconding in the case, surrendered in front of the DySP amid allegations that the police were hesitating to arrest the main accused due to political pressure.
Police are on the lookout for the remaining nine main accused in the case. The investigation team is also considering issuing lookout notices for other accused in the case.
Meanwhile, deceased student Siddharth's father Jayaprakash has leveled serious allegations against the CPM claiming that the party is protecting the main accused in the case. "Among the six arrested,the main accused are not there. Twelve people were suspended from the college. No one has been arrested. Sidharth told us that senior SFI functionaries were using drugs in the campus. After his death, his friends also said this. All the 12 people related to the incident are SFI workers," Jayaprakash said.
He also alleged that the police did not arrest the main accused because of party pressure.
The veterinary student's death has led to a political row in Kerala. Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, AICC Gen. Secretary KC Venugopal, and Union minister V. Muraleedharan visited the family of the deceased student at their Nedmangad residence in Thiruvananthapuram.
Opposition party leaders have alleged that Kerala college campuses are not safe for students as they are controlled by SFI. Congress and BJP leaders alleged that police and ruling party is protecting the “SFI criminals promoting violence in campuses in colleges”.
