Governor Arif Mohammed Khan suspends vice chancellor of Kerala veterinary university

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, in his capacity as the Chancellor of Universities in the state, has suspended the Vice Chancellor of Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University in Wayanad. This action comes in light of the recent death of a student at the university.

The Governor, in the order of suspension, stated that the report provided by the Vice Chancellor, Prof (Dr) M R Saseendranath, clearly demonstrated a severe negligence of duty on his part during the events that led to the tragic death of 20-year-old Siddharthan on February 18. The Governor has expressed his concern over the Vice Chancellor's indifferent and callous attitude towards his responsibilities, particularly in the context of this unfortunate incident.

The Governor has ordered a judicial probe into the student's death and has suggested the involvement of a sitting or retired judge from the High Court or Supreme Court. The Governor plans to approach the Registrar General, High Court of Kerala, for this purpose. Siddharthan, a second year student pursuing a Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry degree, was found hanging in the bathroom of his hostel on February 18. His parents allege that his college mates informed them that he was beaten to death by local leaders and activists of the SFI. The father argues that the postmortem report reveals three days" worth of injuries on his son's body and an empty stomach, indicating that he was brutally beaten and denied food.

The police, initially registering the case as an unnatural death, later charged 12 students with various offenses, including abetment of suicide, wrongful restraint, and causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means, under the IPC and the Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act. The number of accused has now risen to 18, with 11 people arrested as of Friday evening. In light of the parents" claims, the Congress and BJP have accused the ruling CPI(M)'s student wing, SFI, of involvement in the student's death. However, the Students Federation of India (SFI) has denied these allegations.