Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, on Saturday, March 9, informed that the investigation into the recent death of a veterinary college student will be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s office, the parents of 20-year-old Sidharthan JS, had met with Pinarayi Vijayan requesting that the case be investigated by the CBI.

“The unfortunate death of Sidharthan has deeply saddened the entire state. The Kerala police is investigating into the matter and all the accused in the case have been arrested. However, respecting the request by Sidharthan’s family, the case has been handed over to the CBI for investigation,” said Pinarayi Vijayan. 

Sidharthan, a second year student of the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at Pookode in Wayanad district, was found dead in the hostel bathroom on February 18. While the police initially considered it as a case of suicide, the post-mortem report and further investigation revealed that Sidharthan was brutally assaulted by his college mates days before his death, many of them being members of the Students Federation of India (SFI), an organisation linked to the Communist Party of India (Marxist). 

According to Sidharthan’s parents, he was assaulted by his seniors and friends, purportedly due to displeasure over him dancing with a few women college mates on February 14, Valentine’s Day. The postmortem report states that there were multiple abrasions and contusions in Sidharthan’s head, face, neck, shoulders, chest, and hands.