Shutdown in Kerala today after Dalit student's death sparks caste row

The 22-year-old Bachelor of Dental Surgery student jumped to his death from the college building, with his family alleging that he faced persistent caste-based discrimination and harassment by the faculty.

In Short

• Nithin Raj died by suicide after alleged caste harassment by faculty
• Dalit groups in Kerala hold state-wide hartal demanding justice
• Protesters call it 'institutional murder', seek stronger action against faculty

Various Dalit organisations in Kerala are holding a state-wide shutdown on Tuesday from 6 am to 6 pm, demanding justice in the death of dental college student Nithin Raj, who died by suicide after jumping from a college building, with his family and friends accusing faculty members of subjecting the 22-year-old to persistent caste-based discrimination and harassment.

As many as 52 organisations, including the Justice for Nithin Raj Action Council, are backing the strike. Organisers have said essential services will remain exempt and that no vehicles will be forcibly stopped.

Nithin Raj, a first-year Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) student at a private dental college in Kannur district, was found critically injured after falling from a college building on April 10. He had jumped from the building shortly after leaving the principal’s office and later succumbed to his injuries.

Police have registered a case against two faculty members, MK Ram and Sangeetha, on charges of abetment of suicide and under provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, following allegations of caste harassment by the student’s family.

The incident has triggered widespread protests in the state, with an action council of several Dalit organisations alleging that Raj’s death amounted to an “institutional murder” rather than a suicide. The council has demanded Rs 10 crore in compensation for the family, stringent action against the accused faculty members, and a High Court-monitored probe.

Reacting to the incident, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said rising reports of caste discrimination in higher educational institutions were a matter of concern and termed the incident unacceptable and against Kerala’s value system, while promising strict action.

“We are living at a time when troubling reports of rising caste discrimination, even in higher educational institutions, are causing concern. It is a moment to reflect on whether Kerala, as a society, is losing the values it upholds. The death of Nithin Raj is deeply distressing. The details emerging are unacceptable in any way for progressive Kerala,” he said.

Leader of the Opposition, VD Satheesan, also condemned the incident, calling it shocking that caste discrimination could lead to the death of a 22-year-old in Kerala. He drew parallels with the case of Rohith Vemula, the Dalit scholar who died by suicide at the University of Hyderabad.

“It is hard to believe that in Kerala, a young man had to take his own life following severe caste-based harassment. Nithin Raj was subjected to caste abuse and humiliation by teachers. It was the weight of that humiliation that drove him to end his life. Rohith Vemula was once the pain of the nation; now it is Nithin Raj,” the Congress leader said earlier.

Meanwhile, several organisations, including backward community collectives, have raised concerns over the police investigation, alleging that the probe is being misdirected and delayed to shield the accused. They claimed that investigators were attempting to shift focus to alleged loan app borrowings by the student rather than examining allegations of caste discrimination and mental harassment.

These groups further alleged that delays in arresting the accused faculty members allowed them to secure anticipatory bail, and demanded that the investigation be handed over to an independent agency, citing a lack of confidence in the current probe.

Police have, however, registered two FIRs against separate online loan apps in connection with the case and arrested three persons from Noida, who were running a loan app operation. Raj’s family has maintained that the loan issue alone could not have led to his death.

The management of Kannur Dental College has denied allegations of caste discrimination. In a statement, Medical Director Adnan Siddique said the student’s death was linked to a loan taken through a mobile app and not caste-based harassment.

According to the management, neither Raj, his family, nor his classmates had filed any formal complaint of caste discrimination. It added that while there were allegations of inappropriate remarks by a teacher, no official complaint had been lodged.

Several organisations have staged a series of protests at the college, demanding strict action against the faculty members and the administration.

- Ends