The grief-stricken parents of Sidharth are firm in their belief that their son's untimely death was not a suicide but a murder. His father, Jayaprakash, and mother, Sheeba, shared with the media that on February 15, Sidharth was en route home. However, during his journey, a classmate phoned him, urging him to return to college for some purported urgent work. This request, according to the parents, was a ploy that led Sidharth into a trap. Upon his return to the hostel, he was brutally attacked by senior students, among whom was an SFI leader from the college union.

Sheeba recounted how she tried to reach Sidharth on February 16 through numerous calls, which went unanswered. Subsequently, she sent him a message. When Sidharth finally replied, he merely informed her that he was unwell and resting.

Both parents have dismissed the possibility that Sidharth took his own life, firmly stating that the circumstances point to murder. They also expressed concerns that the accused, being college union leaders with affiliations to the ruling party, might receive unwarranted political protection.

The investigation into Sidharth's death faced public scrutiny, prompting Kalpetta Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) T N Sajeev to take charge of the case by Wednesday. Up to this point, the police have detained 7 students, including SFI leaders, while 11 others are still at large.

DySP Sajeev, in discussions with journalists, indicated that initial findings suggest Sidharth was forced into a mock trial and underwent severe torture.

The authorities have escalated their legal response to the incident involving Sidharth by applying several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), targeting wrongful confinement, criminal conspiracy, and inflicting harm with dangerous weapons. Additionally, the charges include sections of the Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act, underscoring the seriousness of the offenses committed.

As the situation gains significant attention and evolves into a considerable political controversy, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has publicly declared that stern measures will be taken against those found guilty. He has further instructed the police department to establish a special investigation team dedicated to this case, ensuring a thorough and focused examination of the facts.

Another Prime Accused in Veterinary Student Death Case in Kerala Nabbed by Police

A high-ranking official from the Wayanad district police has informed that they are in the process of recording the statement of a recently apprehended suspect. Following this procedural step, an official arrest of the individual will be made.

This recent development comes after the arrest of six individuals on Wednesday, related to the case. It's important to note, however, that these six were not among the twelve initially identified as the main suspects in the investigation.

The demise of 20-year-old Siddharthan on February 18 has significantly agitated the political landscape of the state. Both the Congress and the BJP have pointed fingers at the CPI(M)'s student faction, the SFI, accusing them of being directly responsible for the young man's death, thereby intensifying the scrutiny and debate surrounding the tragic event.

The Students Federation of India (SFI) has responded to the accusations by denying any involvement in the incident.

In a recent statement, state Law Minister P Rajeev made it clear that the government is committed to taking stringent measures against those found culpable, regardless of their association with any organization.

The student's father has raised serious concerns, highlighting the findings of the postmortem report. According to him, the report reveals that his son endured injuries over a period of three days and had an empty stomach at the time of death. This, he argues, strongly suggests that his son was subjected to severe physical abuse and was deprived of food.

Following the distressing assertions made by the student's parents, political parties, starting with the Congress followed by the BJP, have voiced allegations against the SFI, accusing it of being responsible for the fatal beating of the young man.

Reacting to the allegations put forth by the parents, the police, which had initially filed the incident as a case of unnatural death, proceeded to charge 12 students with several offenses. These charges include abetment of suicide, wrongful restraint, and causing harm through dangerous weapons or means, under the provisions of the IPC and the Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act.

Subsequently, the list of individuals implicated in the case expanded, bringing the total number of accused to 18.

SFI Lands in the Eye of a Political Storm

The Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the left, is currently embroiled in a significant political controversy following the tragic death of J.S. Sidharth, a second-year student at the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU) located in Pookode, Wayanad district, Kerala. The circumstances surrounding Sidharth’s death, purportedly as a result of ragging and assault by members of the SFI, have exposed the organization to severe criticism from opposition parties. These parties argue that the SFI has been engaging in excessive violence, social shaming, public trials, defamation, interrogative tactics, and intimidation to maintain its dominant presence on college campuses.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has expressed strong support for the criticisms levied by the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against the SFI’s alleged culture of violence. During a meeting with reporters after visiting Sidharth’s family in Thiruvananthapuram, Mr. Khan, who also serves as the Chancellor of State-funded universities, leveled serious accusations against the SFI. He accused the organization of perpetuating a cycle of violence to suppress dissenting opinions, alternative political ideologies, and freedom of expression within the academic community.

To emphasize his point, Mr. Khan invoked a quote from Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, a renowned Russian communist dissident, which reflects on the interplay between violence and deceit. “Violence cannot conceal itself behind anything except lies, and lies have nothing to maintain them save violence. Anyone who has once proclaimed violence as his method must inexorably choose the lie as his principle,” Mr. Khan stated, highlighting the gravity of the accusations against the SFI in the wake of Sidharth’s death.

‘Scapegoats’

The Governor has voiced a concern regarding the dual role SFI activists often find themselves in, stating they are “aggressors and victims at the same time.” According to him, these activists are utilized by their party as front-line troops to enforce political dominance through brutality against opponents. This dynamic, he notes, leaves the “impressionable youth” largely unaware that they are being manipulated for specific political agendas, essentially being made scapegoats.

Mr. Khan observed that such entanglements with the law become a common future for these students, gradually leading to significant hurdles in obtaining necessary clearances for passports and employment, effectively leaving many to face a bleak future with limited options.

Furthermore, Mr. Khan expressed that this situation renders the youth increasingly dependent on those same leaders who initially exploited their naïveté, with no apparent alternative but to seek protection from political retribution through these figures. This dependency, he articulated, traps the students and their families in a relentless cycle of allegiance to the party, from which breaking free is nearly impossible.

‘End Political Violence’

“Kerala’s enlightened population should put an end to political violence for the sake of future generations,” Mr. Khan implored, highlighting a collective responsibility to curb the cycle of violence.

The Governor shared that the parents of Sidharth are deeply dissatisfied with the ongoing police investigation into their son’s death, particularly questioning the intensity of the legal actions taken against the accused SFI activists.

“I will write to the State Police Chief about the family’s apprehensions and monitor the case,” he committed, indicating a proactive approach to ensuring justice.

Mr. Khan has faced opposition from SFI members, evidenced by public confrontations with protesters waving black flags, a reaction to accusations against him for purportedly filling university syndicates with nominees from the Sangh Parivar.

He sternly criticized the prevailing culture of violence within the political landscape of Kerala, a scenario he argues has led to numerous political assassinations.

“Recently, the High Court had slapped double legal jeopardy on two party leaders who had initially got off lightly for the murder of Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP) leader and their former colleague T.P. Chandrasekharan,” he remarked, pointing to a recent judicial decision that underscored the seriousness of political violence and the need for accountability.

Wake-up Call: Satheesan

V.D. Satheesan, the Leader of the Opposition, described the tragic demise of Sidharth as “a wake-up call” for the community to unite against the violence prevalent on campuses, which he attributed to the SFI under the direction of the CPI(M) leadership.

He claimed that the leadership of the SFI subjected Sidharth to a “public trial” as a consequence of Sidharth's interaction with a senior female student on the campus.

“The innocent act discomfited an SFI leader who wreaked vengeance by assaulting, shaming, and publicly humiliating the student,” stated Mr. Satheesan, pinpointing the cause of the assault on an interpersonal interaction that apparently upset an SFI leader.

Furthermore, Mr. Satheesan called for law enforcement to take action against the college educators who seemingly “condoned” the oppressive actions of the SFI.

He accused the CPI(M) of manipulating the police force to shield the implicated students from facing legal consequences.

🚨HUGE: KERALA GOVERNOR SUSPENDS VICE CHANCELLOR OF THE KERALA VETERINARY UNIVERSITY AFTER THE DEATH OF SIDHARTH AT THE HANDS OF SFI WORKERS IN WAYANAD CAMPUS #JusticeForSidharth pic.twitter.com/Y741nswx6D — H G Tannhaus (@tannhaushg) March 2, 2024

Campaign Issue

Mr. Satheesan announced that the Congress party plans to highlight Sidharth's death and the SFI's oppressive “chokehold” on academic campuses as significant issues in their campaign efforts.

In a show of support and solidarity, K.C. Venugopal, the General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), and Rahul Mamkootathil, the President of the Youth Congress in Kerala, visited Sidharth's grieving family. Similarly, Union Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan, along with other leaders from the BJP, also paid their respects to Sidharth's family on Thursday, indicating the widespread attention and concern the case has garnered across political lines.

Bid to Wipe Out Case: Chennithala

Ramesh Chennithala, a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) and MLA, has called upon the government to establish a special investigation team (SIT) to be led by an officer of IG (Inspector General) rank for a thorough examination of the case.

During a press conference in Kozhikode on March 1 (Friday), Mr. Chennithala voiced concerns over efforts by CPI(M) leaders to “wipe out” the case. He accused CPI(M) leaders, including the former MLA C.K. Saseendran, of “threatening” the DySP responsible for the investigation in an attempt to protect the suspects currently in police custody.

In response to the incident, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had previously directed the Kerala Police to form a special investigation team to delve into the matter. Law Minister P. Rajeeve and Revenue Minister K. Rajan have reassured that the government's stance is firm on not providing protection to those found guilty.

The police have charged the accused with several serious offences, including abetment of suicide, inflicting harm voluntarily, assault with dangerous weapons, illegal detention, wrongful restraint, wrongful confinement, and violations under Sections 3 and 4 of the Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1998.

Further actions are anticipated in this case, as indicated by the police, who have suggested that additional arrests are likely. In light of these developments, youth organizations including the Youth Congress, Kerala Students Union (KSU), and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) have declared their intentions to protest, demanding justice for Sidharth.