The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has stepped in to investigate the tragic death of a 20-year-old veterinary student in Kerala’s Wayanad district. The student, identified as Sidharthan JS, was found hanging inside the bathroom of his college hostel on February 18.
Allegations of Ragging
Sidharthan’s family alleges that he was a victim of severe ragging by his fellow students, some of whom were reportedly associated with the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) students’ outfit, Student’s Federation of India (SFI).
CBI’s Legal Action
The CBI has re-registered a First Information Report (FIR) against 20 individuals at the Vythiri police station in Wayanad. The accused have been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including criminal conspiracy, abetment to suicide, wrongful restraint, voluntarily causing hurt, and Kerala’s anti-ragging law.
CBI’s Investigative Plans
A CBI team, accompanied by forensic experts, is set to visit Kerala soon to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Sidharthan’s death.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had promised a CBI probe into the matter on March 9, following widespread political outcry over the incident.
According to police documents, Sidharthan, a second-year student at the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in Wayanad, was subjected to physical and mental torture by his seniors and peers. The torture reportedly lasted from February 16 to February 17, during which Sidharthan was continuously assaulted with a belt and subjected to cruel ragging.
The police report states that Sidharthan was under immense mental stress and felt helpless about continuing his studies at the institute or returning home without completing his course. This led him to take the extreme step of ending his life by hanging himself in the men’s hostel bathroom on February 18.
The CBI’s intervention in the case brings hope for a thorough and impartial investigation into the tragic death of Sidharthan JS. The outcome of the investigation will hopefully bring justice to the victim and his grieving family, while also serving as a reminder of the urgent need to address the menace of ragging in educational institutions.
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