Nedumangad: One year after Sidharthan, a second-year veterinary student at Wayanad’s Pookode Veterinary University, tragically died from ragging, his parents are still fighting for justice as the accused seniors remain free. Despite widespread media coverage and the registration of several criminal cases, the perpetrators — including senior members of the Students Federation of India (SFI) — have returned to campus, leaving the grieving family disillusioned with the system.

Sidharthan’s parents, Jayaprakash and Sheeba, claim their son was tortured for three days before he was found hanging in his hostel bathroom on February 18, 2024. The post-mortem revealed signs of brutal physical abuse, including multiple injuries inflicted over several days and an empty stomach, indicating he had been denied food. The young student, who was from Nedumangad, was allegedly beaten by his own classmates and left in agony as they filmed his suffering.

“They didn’t even give him a drop of water. Instead, they recorded videos and laughed as he begged for it,” Jayaprakash said in an emotional statement. “Eleven students were suspended back then, but despite the media frenzy, they returned to the campus like victors. The college authorities stand with the perpetrators.”

The most heartbreaking moment for Sheeba came when Sidharthan’s body was brought back home. One of his friends, who had been involved in the assault, accompanied the body, but Sheeba did not know about his involvement at the time. “I hugged him, thinking he was just another of my son’s friends. But I had no idea he was involved in my son’s death,” Sheeba said, her voice breaking. “Since that moment, I’ve been unable to use my right hand to eat.”

The case was initially investigated by the Crime Branch, the Human Rights Commission, and later, the CBI. Despite this, Jayaprakash and Sheeba allege that the justice they were promised has never materialised, with no convictions made against the accused. “This indifference allows more Sidharthans to die on campuses,” Sheeba said.

Recent ragging incidents shake Kerala’s educational institutions

The issue of ragging persists across Kerala’s campuses, with three new incidents of student abuse reported from January 2025.

On February 11, a first-year biotechnology student, Bins Jose, filed a complaint with the principal and the Kazhakkoottam police after a violent altercation with senior students at Karyavattom Government College in Thiruvananthapuram. According to the complaint, senior students attacked his friend Abhishek, and later assaulted Bins Jose after forcibly dragging him into a unit room. The victim claimed he was forced to kneel, beaten on his back and face, and humiliated further when he asked for water. The seniors allegedly spat into the bottle before handing it to him.

In a separate incident, three students were arrested on February 12 in Kannur for assaulting a junior student at a government-aided higher secondary school. The 17-year-old was attacked after allegedly failing to follow orders from the seniors. The physical assault left the victim with a fractured hand.

In another shocking incident of ragging, five senior nursing students were arrested at the Government Nursing College in Kottayam for subjecting first-year students to months of extreme abuse and humiliation. The abuse began shortly after the college reopened in November, when six freshers from Thiruvananthapuram were targeted. The senior students inflicted severe physical and mental torture, including using a compass to cause injuries and threatening further harm. The freshers were also forced to endure degrading acts, such as stripping and being subjected to physical humiliation, including hanging dumbbells from their private parts. These acts were filmed by the perpetrators, who blackmailed the victims into drinking alcohol and threatening to release the videos, fearing the destruction of their academic careers. One victim, unable to meet the financial demands of the seniors, was physically assaulted.

A call for action

Sidharthan’s parents continue their battle for justice. They allege that several of the students involved in their son’s death were affiliated with the SFI. Jayaprakash and Sheeba have visited countless government offices, petitioning for justice, but to no avail.

Despite numerous high-profile visits from politicians and authorities, including state ministers, governors, and Union ministers, the parents feel abandoned. They expressed that while everyone visited their home, none of them have taken any concrete action.