Nithin Raj’s death: Teacher moves Kerala HC seeking anticipatory bail

Kochi: M Kodanda Ram, the first accused in a case related to the death of Nithin Raj, a first-year BDS student of Ancharakandy Dental College in Kannur, has approached high court seeking anticipatory bail. Ram is the HoD of dental anatomy of the college. HC will consider the petition later.Police had registered a case based on a complaint by Raj's family, alleging that the petitioner, along with other teachers, had subjected him to caste-based discrimination and harassment, which led him to die by suicide.Ram moved HC after his pre-arrest bail plea before the Thalassery sessions court was rejected on April 24. Ram's plea claims that Raj had availed a loan through an app and had provided the contact number of a teacher to the persons who sanctioned the loan. When there was a default in repayment, the lenders repeatedly contacted the teacher, eventually forcing her to lodge a complaint before the principal against Raj.Based on the teacher's complaint, Raj was summoned to the principal's room, questioned, and it was decided to file a police complaint. According to Ram, Raj left the principal's room and presumably committed suicide immediately after that meeting. He further contended that there was no mention at that time of any harassment or torture faced by the student. Ram also stated that, surprisingly, Raj's father later filed a complaint before police with a different allegation, claiming that the petitioner, along with other teachers, had subjected him to caste-based discrimination and harassment.