Thiruvananthapuram: A state-wide hartal is being observed on Tuesday from 6 am to 6 pm over the death of Nithin Raj, a first-year BDS student at a private dental college in Anjarakkandy, Kannur. The protest has been called by the Justice for Nithin Raj Action Council along with Dalit and Adivasi organisations, with support from multiple groups.

What will be disrupted

Organisers have called for a complete shutdown across the state during the 12-hour period. Some action Council office-bearers had earlier said private vehicles would be stopped and urged the public to cooperate with the protest.

At the same time, organisations requesting cooperation for the strike said that no vehicles will be forcibly stopped. As many as 52 Dalit organisations, including the Justice for Nithin Raj Action Council, are part of the hartal call.

Several supporting groups have also raised concerns over the investigation. Kerala Pinnokka Samudaya Munnani (KPSM) alleged that police had shown apathy and were attempting to protect the accused. Its state president K V Padmanabhan and general secretary S Anwar said the probe was being misdirected and delayed.

What will remain open

The Action Committee has exempted essential services from the hartal. These include hospitals, milk supply and newspaper distribution.

Organisations backing the protest reiterated that essential services would not be affected during the shutdown hours.

Case background and demands

The hartal seeks the arrest of those responsible for Raj’s death. The student was found critically injured after falling from a building on April 10 and later died.

Police have registered a case against two faculty members on charges of abetment of suicide and under provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, following allegations by the family that he faced caste- and complexion-based harassment.

While the family has alleged caste discrimination and mental harassment by faculty led to the death, KPSM claimed police were attempting to divert the investigation towards loan app borrowings. The organisation termed it a “planned move” to shield the real accused and said delays had enabled the teachers to secure anticipatory bail.

KPSM said there was no confidence in the current probe and demanded that the case be handed over to an independent agency.