Anjarakandy (Kannur): The relatives of R L Nithin Raj, a first-year BDS student at Kannur Dental College, have filed a police complaint alleging that his death was the result of caste and colour-based discrimination. Nithinraj, a native of Thiruvananthapuram, died after falling from a college building. He was the son of Y L Rajan, a painting labourer from Puthukulangara at Chalakkad and C R Latha.

Following the incident, the college authorities placed two faculty members—Dr K Ram, Head of the Department of Oral Pathology, and Dr Sangeetha—under suspension pending an investigation.

The complaint alleges that certain teachers subjected the student, who belonged to a Scheduled Caste community, to caste-based insults. Nithin Raj’s parents, Rajan and Latha, said that their son faced discrimination both inside and outside the campus. They alleged that he was taunted with derogatory remarks regarding his skin colour and was subjected to brutal ragging by senior students. Despite reporting these issues to teachers and department heads, they claim no action was taken; instead, he faced further neglect and harassment.

Grief-stricken by the treatment, the student reportedly took his own life. The parents have demanded strict legal action against those responsible and requested a probe by a high-level agency. The formal complaint was lodged at the Chakkarakkal police station by Nithin Raj’s brother-in-law, Ashok.

Nithin Raj had joined the college last November and resided in the campus hostel. On Friday, at approximately 1.30 pm, he was found lying on the laterite-paved ground between the Medical College Hospital reception and the college library building. Although he was rushed to the emergency department of the college hospital, he was pronounced dead. The funeral is scheduled for 8 am on Sunday at his family residence.

Baseless allegations: College

Meanwhile, the Principal of the college, Dr Vinod Moni, dismissed the allegations made by the relatives as baseless. He stated that the college had received no prior complaints from the student regarding such issues.