Two teachers of Kannur Dental College, Ancharakandy, were suspended over allegations of mental harassment of a first-year Bachelor of Dental Science student, who died in a suspected suicide on Friday, April 10. The family of RL Nithin Raj, 22, alleged that he was subjected to abuse based on caste and skin colour by the teachers.
Nithin, who belonged to a Scheduled Caste community, was found injured in the college backyard. He was immediately shifted to Kannur Medical College Hospital, but succumbed to his injuries at around 3 pm. Following the allegations, the college suspended Dr MK Ram and Dr KT Sangeetha Nambiar, Head of Department and Reader respectively in the Oral Pathology department. Nithin’s family has filed a complaint at Chakkarakkal police station.
Kannur Dental College Principal Dr Vinod Mony denied receiving any complaint regarding caste harassment. He told the media that a committee comprising faculty and student representatives has been constituted to inquire into the allegations.
Nithin, a native of Uzhamalakkal in Thiruvananthapuram, was the son of daily wage labourers Rajan and Latha. He is survived by two sisters, Rakhi and Nikhita. Rakhi told the media that Ram had shared Nithin’s answer sheet with his classmates and made them laugh at him. She alleged that he was repeatedly humiliated in class.
An audio clip purportedly recorded by Nithin before his death has also surfaced, in which he details instances of humiliation and threats allegedly faced at the hands of a faculty member.
According to the audio clip, Nithin was singled out and targeted despite paying attention in class and following instructions. He alleges that the teacher mocked his mother and made insensitive remarks about her surgery. He also claims that three marks were deducted from his paper, and that he was sarcastically told to present it to his parents as a “surprise.“
He also says he tried to tolerate and forgive the insults to an extent, but the pattern continued. According to him, the teacher would repeatedly hand back his paper, ask him to read it aloud, and point out each spelling mistake in front of others, further humiliating him.
Recounting an incident from the previous day, Nithin purportedly says he was called an “idiot” while leaving the staff room, to which he responded, “same to you”. He alleges that the teacher then continued to verbally abuse him in the corridor near the staff room and issued a threat, saying, “If you step outside the gate, I will chop off your hands and legs. You won’t have hands to live with anymore.”
He says he challenged the remark, telling the teacher he would like to see him try. He also notes that other staff members were present during the exchange but did not intervene.
