Kannur BDS student death: Tharoor demands thorough criminal probe, full accountability across college administration

Following the tragic death of dental student Nithin Raj in Kannur, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Sunday demanded a thorough criminal probe into the matter and full accountability across the college administration.

Calling it the “criminal institutional failure”, Tharoor said he is deeply anguished by Nithin Raj’s death. A bright young life, extinguished by a toxic campus culture.

Raj died after falling from a building in a suspected suicide on the afternoon of April 10. Though he was rushed to the medical college and administered necessary treatment, he later succumbed to his injuries.

Chakkarakkal Police, who registered a case of unnatural death, initiated the probe after the parents and friends of the deceased alleged that he had been subjected to emotional harassment by Kannur Dental College faculty members.

The 22- year-old deceased was a native of Uzhamalackal, Puthukulangara in Thiruvananthapuram and a first-year BDS student of the college located in Anjarakandy.

In a social media post on X, Shashi Tharoor said: “Deeply anguished to learn of the tragic death of Nithin Raj, a young BDS student from Thiruvananthapuram, at Kannur Dental College, Anjarakandy. Audio recordings now reveal what his family has long alleged — relentless verbal abuse, casteist slurs, threats, and deliberate academic sabotage by faculty. A bright young life, extinguished by a toxic campus.”

“This is chillingly reminiscent of the death of Sidharthan, another young student from Thiruvananthapuram. I had visited his grieving family after his tragic passing. In his case, it was student goons who drove him to his end, while a callous management looked the other way. Different perpetrators, same criminal institutional failure,” he added.

“Nithin's family alleges he was mocked for his caste, his skin colour, his financial background. His internal marks were allegedly slashed as punishment. His mother's surgery was ridiculed in class. And when he finally dared to stand up for himself, a system that should have protected him failed him catastrophically,” said Tharoor.

Following the incident, the college initiated an internal inquiry and on Saturday suspended Dental Anatomy Department Head MK Ram and Associate Professor KT Sangeetha Nambiar.

The Congress MP further said: “The suspension of two faculty members is a start — but nowhere near enough. I demand a thorough criminal investigation and full accountability across the college administration. How many Sidharthans and Nithins must we mourn before Kerala — and India — find the will to truly cleanse our campuses of this poison? Our institutions must be sanctuaries of learning and dignity, not arenas of humiliation and impunity. #JusticeForNithinRaj. Not tomorrow. Now.”