KANNUR: The Kannur Dental College at Anjarakandy terminated Dr M K Ram, the head of the dental anatomy department who is charged with abetting the suicide of first-year BDS student Nithin Raj, with immediate effect. Ram, who is absconding, has been directed to handover his charge and college materials to another faculty in the department.
Meanwhile, members of the Youth League and other student associations staged protests at the office of the Kannur police commissioner and college premises, respectively, on Thursday.
Nithin Raj, who hailed from Puthukulangara in Thiruvananthapuram and belonged to an SC community, was found with critical injuries he suffered after falling from the college building.
He succumbed to injuries on April 10. His family alleged that he was subjected to emotional harassment on the basis of caste and colour by Ram and associate professor Sangeetha Nambiar.
The police booked Ram and Sangeetha for abetment to suicide and under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The special investigation team has intensified their probe but the two remain at large with their phones switched off.
The police said efforts are on to nab them.
The death had triggered strong protests in Kannur from the college students as well as student and youth organisations affiliated to various parties, who have demanded the arrest of the absconding teachers. As part of their stir, the students removed their white coats and marched into the college premises.
On Thursday, principal Vinod Moni held discussions with student union representatives and parents after which Ram’s termination letter was read out at the meeting. Following this, the students announced that they would withdraw their agitation and attend classes from Monday. A group of students also decided to visit Nithin Raj’s family.
Meanwhile, the police used force on the Youth League workers who had taken out a march to the commissioner’s office.
The protesters had marched towards the office from the Stadium Corner through the old bus station when the police intercepted with barricades. When the protesters tried to breach the barricades, the police used water cannons to disperse the protesters.