Kannur: More allegations have surfaced against an Oral Pathology department head in connection with the death of BDS student Nithin Raj in Kannur, with classmates claiming that the harassment he spoke about was true and that he had been repeatedly targeted by the faculty member.

Speaking to the media after visiting Nithin’s house, students alleged that the teacher routinely humiliated and harassed students in class. They claimed incidents of body shaming were common and that many refrained from complaining out of fear of retaliation.

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A classmate said, “Everything Nithin said is true. He used to publicly humiliate him by making others read out his paper in class. Sir engages in body shaming. He calls me ‘fatty girl’. If someone is dark, he mocks their complexion; if fair, he says ‘you look like Cinderella’. He talks to us in a degrading manner. Seniors have told us they went through the same trauma and even reached the brink of suicide.”

The student further alleged that fear of losing attendance prevented many from speaking out.

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“Seniors had warned us that if we don’t do what he says, he will cut attendance. Without attendance, we can’t even write exams. He can cut attendance for a month. That’s why everyone is scared to even attend class. Instead of teaching, he talks about religion and indulges in body shaming,” she said.

Another allegation pointed to Nithin being specifically targeted.

“He was asked in class why his parents didn’t attend meetings. When he said his mother had undergone surgery, the teacher made insensitive remarks. He even made inappropriate comments about his family,” the student said.

Students also alleged instances of physical and verbal abuse. “He would make one student hit another. If it wasn’t done properly, he would ask, ‘Are you transgender? Are you gay?’ We are too scared to react. If we complain, we don’t know what he might do. He could fail us, and a five-and-a-half-year course could stretch to 12 years,” the student added.

The classmate also made a shocking claim: “He has openly said in class that he has killed someone.”

Breaking down, she said, “Everything Nithin said is true. There is no lie in it. I don’t know what will happen to my life after saying all this, but I had to speak. I can’t even sleep at night without saying this. He always called me his best friend,” she said in tears, adding, “I don’t even feel like calling him ‘sir’. He is not a teacher, he is like an animal.”

Another student said the news of Nithin’s death came as a shock. “We only knew he had collapsed. Everyone was running around without knowing what had happened. When we heard he had died, we were speechless. We wanted to come here earlier, but were not in the mental state. We were scared of what would happen if the teacher returned,” she said.

A case has been registered against the head of the Oral Pathology department, Dr K Ram, and another faculty member, Dr Sangeetha, in connection with the death of the student. Charges include abetment of suicide and provisions under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Dr Ram, who has been suspended following the incident, had faced disciplinary action earlier as well. Last year, complaints from first-year students and faculty led to a two-month suspension. Third-year students had also filed complaints alleging caste-based abuse and physical harassment.