Kerala dental student suicide: Case handed over to State Crime Branch amid allegations of harassment

The investigation into the suicide of Nithin Raj, a first-year BDS student at Anjarakandy Dental College in Kerala’s Kannur district, has been handed over to the State Crime Branch. State Police Chief Ravada Chandra Sekhar on Wednesday issued orders transferring the case from the local police to the Crime Branch.

The transfer of the probe follows widespread public outcry and a state-wide hartal by Dalit organisations demanding justice for the 22-year-old student. The Crime Branch will investigate the family’s complaint as well as the loan app angle.

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Nithin Raj, a native of Uzhamalackal, Puthukulangara, Thiruvananthapuram, was found critically injured on April 10 near the dental college block after falling from the building in a suspected suicide attempt. Though he was rushed to the medical college hospital and given treatment, he later succumbed to his injuries.

Nithin’s family has alleged that he faced relentless mental harassment and caste-based slurs from faculty members. He reportedly described being humiliated in the staff room and having his answer sheets circulated to mock his spelling mistakes.

In an audio message sent to his friends, Nithin alleged harassment by faculty members, including threats of physical assault and academic repercussions such as reduction of marks in examinations. He also stated in the voice message that he was threatened with having his hands and feet cut off.

Two faculty members, Dr. M.K. Ram and Dr. K.T. Sangeetha Nambiar, have been booked for abetment of suicide and under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Following the allegations, both were suspended by the college management, and M.K. Ram was later expelled from the institution.

The college management and the accused faculty members claim that the suicide was triggered by pressure from a predatory loan app. Nithin had reportedly borrowed ₹13,500 for his mother’s medical treatment and was receiving nearly 100 threatening calls a day. The app operators allegedly contacted his teachers to shame him.

Meanwhile, the cyber police have arrested the operators of the loan app for threatening both the student and faculty members. During a search conducted at an establishment called Instant Fund in Noida, the accused—Hrishikesh Tiwari, Prashant Khewal, and Prakash Jai—were reportedly taken into custody, and SIM boxes and SIM cards were seized.

The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has also ordered a parallel inquiry into the case.