As many as 52 organizations will participate in a nationwide ‘hartal’ or strike to protest the death of a first-year student who was allegedly harassed on caste grounds at Kannur Dental College in Anjarakandy, Kerala, Onmanorama reported. The southern state is seething over Nithin Raj’s death, and the Nithin Raj Action Council – made up of 52 Dalit organizations along with other like-minded groups – alleges serious irregularities in the investigation.
Led by the Justice for Nithin Raj Action Council and supported by Dalit and Adivasi organisations, the demonstration is scheduled from 6 am to 6 pm.
What do the protesters demand?
The Action Council demanded a High Court-supervised inquiry, implementation of the Rohith Vemula Act – a proposed anti-discrimination law for educational institutions, ₹10 million compensation to Nithin Raj’s family and cancellation of membership of Anjarakandy Dental College, local media reported.
What will remain open during the hartal?
The action board said essential services would remain in operation; however, he did not clarify what is expected to remain closed.
While essential services are expected to function normally, markets, educational institutions, transport and business activities may witness disruption.
Speaking to Onmanorama, Rajkumar Karuvarth, district general secretary of the Kannur Bus Operators Association, said that private bus services will remain unaffected in the district. Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi also announced that the shops will remain functional.
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What happened to Nithin Raj?
Raj, a first-year BDS student at a private dental college in Anjarakandy in Kannur district, was found critically injured after falling from a building on April 10 and later succumbed to his injuries.
The Kannur police, which had initially registered a case of unnatural death in connection with the student’s death, later charged two faculty members — Dr Ram and Dr Sangeeth Nambiar — with abetment to suicide and under provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, following allegations by the student’s family that he had been subjected to caste and skin-based harassment.
An associate professor of Kannur Dental College and an accused in a case related to the death of a student allegedly harassed on caste grounds appeared before an investigation team here on Monday, police said.
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Dr Sangeetha Nambiar (56), an associate professor in the department of oral pathology at Kannur Dental College, Anjarakkandy, and the other accused in the case appeared before the Kannur Deputy Commissioner of Police in the morning, news agency PTI reported.
On Saturday, the Kannur District and Sessions Court granted anticipatory bail to Nambiar, while the main accused Dr. It was rejected by MK Ram, the head of the department.
Police officials said Nambiar appeared before the ACP accompanied by her lawyer.
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After recording her statement, police formally arrested her and released her on bail as directed by the court, news agency officials said.
Police said the search for Ram is still on.
While hearing the anticipatory bail application, the court noted that no evidence against Nambiar has so far emerged during the police investigation.
The court ordered that she be released on bail in case of arrest after posting bail ₹50,000 along with two solvent guarantees.
She was also ordered to appear before an investigating officer every Saturday between 9am and 1pm for three months.
