Kannur: A 22-year-old Dalit student in Kerala’s Kannur Dental College died on Sunday, two days after allegedly falling from a college building, with his family accusing faculty members of caste-based harassment.
R L Nithin Raj, a first-year Bachelor of Dental Surgery student and a native of Uzhamalackal in Thiruvananthapuram, succumbed to his injuries at Kannur Medical College Hospital while undergoing treatment.
His father, Rajan, alleged that teachers repeatedly subjected his son to caste discrimination, used derogatory language, and publicly humiliated both him and his family. He claimed that at one point, his son was called a “rotten dog” and was threatened with failure if he raised complaints.
“He worked hard without any support to secure admission on merit. But he was harassed by faculty over his caste and complexion,” Rajan said.
On Friday, the day of the incident, Raj had spoken to his father and sisters around 11 am and had even booked a ticket to return home. However, he became untraceable thereafter.
Following his death, an audio clip surfaced in which Raj is heard saying he endured insults until he could no longer tolerate them. He alleged that his mother was insulted, including references to her surgery, and that his answer sheet was circulated among students to mock his spelling mistakes.
In the aftermath, the college initiated an internal inquiry and suspended the Head of the Dental Anatomy Department, M K Ram, and Associate Professor K T Sangeetha Nambiar.
The Chakkarakkal police have registered a case in connection with the incident.
The Kerala State Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognisance based on media reports and directed the police to conduct a detailed probe and submit a report within a week. Judicial member K Baijunath instructed the Kannur City Police Commissioner to investigate the allegations and file a report within the stipulated time.
Sheeba M R, mother of veterinary student Sidharthan J S, who died in 2024 allegedly due to ragging at the Government Veterinary College in Wayanad, visited Raj’s residence and expressed concern over the recurrence of similar incidents. She criticised the suspension of teachers as “cosmetic”, warning that those responsible could be reinstated.
Political leaders across parties have demanded a thorough investigation. Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala called for a high-level inquiry, urging the government to take seriously the family’s allegations of caste and complexion-based harassment and ensure accountability.
Leader of the Opposition V. D. Satheesan, who visited the family, questioned how such individuals became teachers and stressed the need for strict intervention to prevent recurrence.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) Rajya Sabha MP A. A. Rahim also met the family, describing the incident as deeply painful. He said the party would stand with them until justice is delivered and called for exemplary action to deter similar cases.
Rahim drew parallels with the death of Rohith Vemula, stating that the family had reported repeated caste discrimination that had severely affected Raj.
Leaders emphasised that a comprehensive and transparent probe is essential to ensure justice and to prevent such tragedies from recurring in Kerala’s educational institutions.