Kochi: The Kerala Students Union (KSU), the student wing of the Congress party, has approached the Kerala High Court, seeking a judicial probe into stampede deaths related on an event at the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) campus last month. The plea filed claimed that the college principal’s letter to the registrar seeking security and police aid for a music concert, that ended in tragedy, was abandoned. 

The petitioner and KSU president Aloshious Xavier alleged that the state government is trying to sabotage the probe despite the magnitude of the tragedy. The petition highlighted that the tragedy claimed four lives and a probe by an independent agency is required to bring out the truth.

According to Xavier, the police team is trying to save the authorities concerned. “Even before the syndicate sub-panel's report on the matter was out, a narrative that the organizing committee’s lapses led to the tragedy was propagated in media. The attempt is to solely make event organizers accountable and save authorities,” he claimed.

Xavier further alleged that Cusat youth welfare director PK Baby’s presence in the sub-panel made it more clear that the government wanted to save the authorities. Xavier said that the youth welfare director has the responsibility to guide and direct students during university events. He added the attempt is to make organisers the scapegoat and save Baby and the vice-chancellor.