Wayanad: For the first time and perhaps the last, T Jayaprakash visited the room of his late son Sidharthan J S in the hostel of Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University at Pookkode here on Wednesday.
The hostel authorities were hesitant to allow Jayaprakash in as the police had sealed the room since Sidharthan was found hanging in a hostel toilet on February 18. But Jayaprakash was willing to wait and the Vythiri Police finally gave him the nod.
“I am extremely grateful to the varsity authorities, the police and Kalpetta MLA Siddique for facilitating my wish. When I expressed my wish to MLA Siddique, he assured to help me and accompanied me,” Jayaprakash told Onmanorama.
Jayaprakash, who worked in the Gulf, had never visited his son's hostel. He walked across the room and sat on the cot Sidharthan used to sleep in. MLA Siddique said he did not take Jayaprakash to the room where Sidharthan was allegedly tortured by senior students. The bereaved father, however, stood in the courtyard of the hostel where Sidharthan was stripped and beaten up. He took some photographs. “I will never come back to this place again,” Jayaprakash said.
Sidharthan was in his second year of a Bachelor in Veterinary Sciences (BVSc) course at the varsity. Investigation into his death revealed he underwent brutal ragging and was subjected to torture that allegedly forced him to die by suicide.
Earlier on the day, Jayaprakash met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who filed his nomination to the Wayanad parliament constituency. Jayaprakash told Onmanorama that Gandhi assured him all support in his fight to bring to book those involved in his son's death.
At least 18 persons, including members of the Students' Federation of India, which is affiliated to the state-ruling CPM, are in custody in connection with Sidharthan's death.
It was while returning to Kozhikode from Kalpetta that Jayaprakash expressed his wish to see the hostel.
