Probing the death of a Dalit medical student in Kerala’s Kannur district, police have claimed that while he faced alleged discrimination in his college, he was also under pressure due to receiving repeated intimidating calls and messages after taking a Rs 13,500 loan from an online loan app in February this year.
Nithin Raj R L (22), a native of Uzhamalakkal village in Thiruvananthapuram, died after a fall from a building at the Kannur Dental College campus in the Anjarakandy area of Kannur district on Friday. His death, allegedly after facing discrimination from faculty members at the college over his caste, colour and family background, has led to protests across Kerala. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said that those responsible for the humiliation and insults have “committed an unforgivable crime”.
Police have filed a case under charges of abetment of suicide and under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Two faculty members, including a head of a department at the college, have been booked in the case. However, his family has expressed suspicion that foul play may have been involved in the death.
Kannur City Police Commissioner Nidhinraj P said the investigation showed that the deceased student had purportedly availed Rs 13,500 from an online loan app in February. The app was allegedly charging exorbitant interest rates and demanded that the student pay back Rs 19,000 in a month, police said, adding that he had paid Rs 1,000 on April 6, four days before his death.
The commissioner said that the day before Nithin’s death, the lenders had called or messaged him 96 times, threatening him. One of his teachers (not one of the two booked in the abetment of suicide case) also received 26 calls on the same day from those behind the app, police said, adding that the teacher complained about the matter to the principal the next day. Subsequently, the principal purportedly summoned Nithin to his office. “10 minutes after he came out of the chamber, Nithin jumped from the building,” the commissioner said.
The principal of the college, Vinod Moni, did not respond to requests for comment.
The commissioner said, “We assumed that he was burdened by the feeling that he had caused trouble for his teacher. That might have become another factor forcing him to take the extreme step. He had also faced discrimination and humiliation, which had been in the back of his mind.”
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The loan app that Nithin purportedly borrowed from is not available on the Google Play Store, Commissioner Nidhinraj said, adding that the app is circulated through links on social media. The role of those behind the app in abetting Nithin’s suspected suicide is also being probed, police said.
According to police, the app gained access to Nithin’s teacher’s number because it received permission to access the student’s contacts when he downloaded it.
University orders probe
Meanwhile, the Kerala University of Health Sciences, to which Kannur Dental College is affiliated, on Tuesday ordered a high-level probe into the college, which is a self-financing institution.
University Vice Chancellor Dr Mohanan Kunnummel said, “A four-member team will probe the incident and the college’s background. There will be strong action. Nithin was our student, and the culprits will face action from the university also. The university has so far not received any complaints against any teacher. We do not know whether the college has suppressed complaints, if any. We will think about whether these types of institutions should continue. A report will be submitted to the Governor, who is the Chancellor of the university,” he said.
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Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in his message on the birth anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar, expressed pain at Nithin’s death.
“…Disturbing reports are coming about extreme caste discrimination prevailing even in higher educational institutions. It is time to ponder whether Kerala has lost the values it had upheld as a society. The suicide of Nithin Raj is deeply painful. The details coming out are unacceptable for progressive Kerala. Whoever is responsible for pushing such a talented student to death has committed an unforgivable crime. The whole of Kerala stands with Nithin Raj’s family,” he said.
The Chief Minister also alleged that the Union government had not considered the demand for a Rohit Vemula Act to be implemented to end caste discrimination in campuses. “It is time to put up a united fight against the wrong tendencies that foment caste discrimination, hate and separatism,” he said.
Opposition leader V D Satheesan announced that the Congress would construct a new house for the family of the deceased student. As a token, Rs 5 lakh was handed over to the family for the construction of the house. Nithin’s father is a daily wage worker, while his mother gets work through MGNREGS.
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Students of the dental college have intensified their protest against the college and the accused faculty members.
