Veterinary student death: Kerala's Leader of Opposition, BJP call for CBI probe

Kerala's Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheeshan on Sunday called for a CBI investigation into the death of J.S. Siddharth, a second-year student of Veterinary Science at the Pookode Government Veterinary College in the state's Wayanad district.

In a letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, he called him to recommend a CBI investigation into the death of Siddharth, who was found hanging in his hostel room on February 18, as senior leaders of the ruling CPI-M were threatening the police officers and feared that the investigation would be torpedoed.

Satheeshan said that the family of Siddharth had also called for a CBI Investigation.

The BJP has also called for a CBI inquiry into the death of Siddharth.

BJP leader and leading Malayalam actor, Suresh Gopi, who is also the party candidate from the Thrissur Lok Sabha seat, made the demand after visiting the family of Siddharth at Nedumangad in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.

Siddharth's father Jayaprakash said that his son would never commit suicide and alleged that he was tortured and killed by the SFI students of the college. As many as 14 SFI workers, including college unit President and Secretary, are in police custody in this connection.

Governor Arif Mohammed Khan had, in his capacity as Chancellor of the varsity, suspended Vice Chancellor Prof M.R. Saseendranathan on Saturday, while state minister for Animal Husbandry and Diary Development, J.Chinchurani on Sunday suspended college dean, Dr M.K. Narayanan, who is under the scanner for aiding and supporting the SFI students.

The post-mortem report of Siddharth has revealed that he had multiple injuries across his body and his jaw bone was fractured. The autopsy of his intestine had revealed that his stomach was empty since 72 hours before his death and there are allegations that he was tortured cruelly without even being provided food or water.