Wayanad (Kerala): 20-year-old JS Siddharth, a student of Pookode Veterinary University in Wayanad, who allegedly died by suicide at his hostel, was subjected to severe ragging and assault by classmates and seniors for 29 hours, the Kerala Police have stated in its report, which was handed over to the CBI.
Siddharth, who was a second-year student was found dead on February 18. On Friday, the case was handed over to CBI. A CBI team that arrived at the university campus for investigation, has registered an FIR against 20 people under charges of abetment to suicide, criminal conspiracy and ragging.
In the case details provided by sub-inspector Prashobh PV of Vythiri police station to CBI, Siddharth underwent severe mental and physical torture from 9 am on February 16 to 2 pm on February 17. He was beaten up with belts, ragged, thrashed and mentally tortured, the case details revealed.
Initially labeled as a case of unnatural death, the case details that were handed over to the CBI by the state police suggests Siddharth faced mental and physical torture as per information collected from the college's Anti-Ragging Cell report.
Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission is scheduled to visit Pookode Veterinary College on Monday for a five-day inquiry. Teaching and non-teaching staff will be questioned with a focus on addressing the complaints received by the college's Anti-Ragging Cell.
After Siddharth was found dead at his hostel, his parents alleged that students belonging to the CPI-M students' wing Students' Federation of India (SFI) were behind the incident. Following which, Kerala Police arrested many SFI members of the college.
Later, the family demanded a CBI probe into the matter saying they have no faith on the ongoing probe. After which, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan ordered transfer of the case to CBI.
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