Kasaragod: A temporary law teacher at Kannur University’s School of Legal Studies in Manjeshwar lost his job after setting a question that asked students to discuss the human rights issues involved in the public humiliation of Kannur Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Naveen Babu K by former Kannur District Panchayat President PP Divya, which was followed by his tragic suicide. Naveen Babu allegedly died by suicide in his official quarters a day after PP Divya snubbed him with incriminating comments during a farewell meeting held at the District Collectorate in October.

Sherin C Abraham, who had been teaching in the Manjeshwar law campus since it was established two years ago, received a terse phone call on Sunday, November 3, from the Head of the Department, Dr Sheena Shukkur, instructing him not to return to teach on Monday. Sherin's question read thus: "X (ADM) died by suicide shortly after being accused of bribery by a political leader (P), the former president of the YZ district panchayat, during his farewell ceremony. P publicly accused X of bribery, which allegedly led to his suicide. No evidence of allegations was produced by the P still. A case of abetment to suicide was registered against P, and she applied for anticipatory bail. The Kerala court has adjourned the hearing of P’s anticipatory bail plea until October 24, 2024. Illustrate the human rights concerns in this case and decide the case from a Human Rights perspective."

"Sherin Abraham said he did not name PP Divya, who is accused of the same crime. He said the question was part of the third-semester internal exam held on October 28. It was given as a topic of contemporary relevance for students along with another question," he told Onmanorama.

Forty-five minutes into the exam, a student affiliated with the Students' Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the CPM, objected to the question. "He said he wouldn’t write the exam because he felt the question was politically motivated. I asked him to attempt the alternative question about Adivasi man Madhu, lynched by a mob in Attappady. But the student still refused to take the exam," Sherin Abraham said. 

However, the SFI members sent their complaints to the Registrar and other university authorities against the teacher. On Friday, November 1, the HoD, Dr Sheena Shukkur, asked Sherin for an explanation through the class teacher. I gave my explanation, saying the question was framed as part of the United Nations Convention Against Torture and was in line with the subject I taught," he said.

The global treaty defined torture as any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for purposes such as obtaining information or a confession, punishment, intimidation or coercion by a public official or with their consent. Sherin Abraham, who has an LLM degree from Kozhikode Law College, said he was employed by the university on daily wages. "On Sunday, the HoD called me over the phone and said that the department was hiring another temporary teacher who has qualified UGC NET," he said. However, the department has two more teachers on daily wages without qualifying for the National Eligibility Test (NET). "What hurt me most was that they made sure I wouldn’t see my students again by asking me not to come to the campus on Sunday evening. If the students had objected, I could have understood," said Abraham. 

University teachers affiliated with the Congress expressed solidarity with Sherin Abraham and informed the Vice-Chancellor of their protest. "This is evidence that questions related to Naveen Babu's death have greatly unsettled Campus Director Sheena Shukkur and the Left-wing power lobby within the university," Dr Shino P Jose, Convenor of the Kannur University Senators’ Forum. "The dismissal of the teacher is alarming. The academic community in Kerala stands in solidarity with the dismissed teacher," he said. Dr Sheena Shukkur did not respond to calls to her phone.