KALPETTA : nder fire for failing to invoke appropriate charges against the 18 accused persons arrested in the suspected suicide of J S Sidharthan, the police on Monday charged all of them with criminal conspiracy.
Sidharthan, a student of College of Veterinary and Animal Science in Pookode, Wayanad, was found hanging in the hostel bathroom on February 18.
The officers also said the call made to Sidharthan while he was going home, asking him to return to the college, a few days before his death was part of the criminal conspiracy.
Meanwhile, all 130 students who were present at the hostel when Sidharthan was subjected to mob trial have been handed a one-week suspension for their failure to report the brutal attack against the student to the authorities concerned.
As per the probe report of the college’s anti-ragging cell, 31 inmates of the hostel were involved in the violence against Sidharthan. While 19 were banned from pursuing academic interests for three years, 10 were debarred for one year. The remaining two were banned from the hostel.
‘Allegations against CPM baseless’
CPM state committee member C K Saseendran on Monday said the allegations levelled against the party in connection with the death of Sidharthan were baseless. The party has neither intervened in the investigation nor tried to protect the accused, he told reporters in Kalpetta.
He rejected allegations that he visited the magistrate of Kalpetta court at his residence to lobby for the accused persons.
“Why will I visit the magistrate at his residence on Saturday, when even the probe team didn’t take the accused persons there. The accused had been produced before the magistrate at his chamber in the court. However, I was on the court premises at the time; I won’t deny that,” Saseendran said.
However, Saseendran alleged the a senior Congress leader from Wayanad who is also a lawyer was present at court the same day, as his son is involved in the case.
“He was present at the court with the parents of other accused students. It is to be noted that of the accused students, only five are SFI activists,” Saseendran said, adding that CPM will not arrange a lawyer for the accused as the party has decided not to involve itself in the case.
March turns violent
The protest march taken out by KSU and MSF activists to the college campus against the student’s death turned violent on Monday after the police caned the protesters and used tear gas against them. Several protesters were injured.
KSU education bandh today
The KSU has called for a statewide ‘education bandh’ on Tuesday against the police action on its activists at the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Science University headquarters on Monday. The SSLC and Class XII examinations scheduled for the day will not be affected. General Education Minister V Sivankutty criticised the KSU decision and termed the bandh a cruelty against students on examination day.
Veterinary college to remain closed till March 10
The academic director of Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University has informed that there will be no regular classes from March 5 to 10 due to protests related to the death of Pookode Veterinary College student Siddharth. The ladies’ hostel of the veterinary college will also remain closed during the period. The action was taken keeping in view the current atmosphere prevailing in the college. The girls were not allowed to go home and there was a big protest from the parents. Once the hostel is closed, the girls can go home, informed the officials.