Suicide of Wayanad Veterinary Varsity student; Post-mortem report shows signs of physical torture

Wayanad: Sidharth J S, 20, a second-year degree student at Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU) campus at Pookkode, here, whose body was found hanging in the toilet of the hostel on February 18 went through extreme physical torture, according to the post-mortem report.

Some of the scars and injuries on the body were two to three days old. There were marks of torture on the head, lower jaw and parts of the body. The post-mortem report also said though the cause of death was hanging, there was an injury on the neck which is not normal in hanging cases.

Kalpetta DySP TN Sajeev, the investigating officer said the statement of three students on the torture meted out to the youth was already recorded. All the accused including the leaders of SFI are absconding now, he said. The other day the members of the investigation team had visited the house of Sidharth at Nedumangad, Thiruvananthapuram, to register the statement of Sidharth's parents.

It was on February 14 when a group of students had allegedly subjected Sidhardh to brutal torture in public and extreme mental torture through a 'public trial', harassing him in front of many students. On February 18 the body of Sidharth was found hanging from the roof of the toilet. The institution had suspended as many as 12 students, including the chairman of the students’ union from SFI, other seniors and 4 classmates of Sidharth, as the anti-ragging committee recommended strict action against them.

Those suspended in connection with the incident were students’ union president K Arun, union member Asif Khan, SFI unit secretary Amal Ihsan, K Akhil, R S Kashinathan, J Ajay, Ameen Akbar Ali, Sinjo Johnson, all senior students and four classmates of Sidhardh E K Saud Risal, A Althaf, Muhammed Danish and V Adithyan. The suspension was declared by the anti-ragging committee following a complaint of students. Both SFI and KSU units of the campus had demanded action against the accused.

The other day the academic dean of the institution MK Narayanan visited the parents of Sidharth at Nedumangad and also assured them of all support to bring the guilty to book. Moreover, members of the UGC anti-ragging squad also visited the campus and recorded the statements of students and teachers.

His parents, Jayaprakash and M R Sheeba, have submitted a memorandum to Governor Arif Muhammed Khan. They alleged that the police are not taking any action against the accused as the students involved in the incident include influential SFI leaders who are allegedly protected by CPM.