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Death of dental student: Kannur court denies anticipatory bail to Dr MK Ram
Dr MK Ram, former head of the Anatomy Department at Kannur Dental College, who is facing allegations of harassment, including casteist remarks and body shaming, was denied anticipatory bail by the Kannur District and Principal Sessions Court on Saturday, April 25. In the same case, another faculty member, Sangeetha Nambiar, was granted anticipatory bail.Both have been named as accused in connection with the death of first-year BDS student Nithin Raj, 22, a native of Uzhamalackal in Thiruvananthapuram. Police have invoked charges of abetment to suicide under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, including Section 3(1)(r), which pertains to intentional insult or intimidation of an SC/ST member in public view.Dr Ram, in his bail plea, denied role in the student’s death and stated that Nithin Raj had been struggling academically and had low internal marks. The plea said faculty members had advised him to improve his performance.The plea also claimed that Nithin Raj had taken private loans and allegedly used a professor’s phone number without consent. This reportedly led to repeated calls from recovery agents, who continued to contact the professor seeking repayment. The situation escalated to a cyber police complaint after the calls persisted.Following the complaint, Nithin Raj was summoned to the office of principal Vinod Mony on April 10, where he was questioned for over an hour in the presence of senior faculty, the plea stated. It further alleged that he was later reprimanded publicly and warned that his parents and the police would be informed.Nithin Raj was found lying on a stone-paved area between the administrative block and hospital around 1.30 pm on April 10. He was taken to the casualty department but was declared dead at 3.35 pm.Sangeetha Nambiar, in her plea, maintained that she had no involvement in the incident and denied harassing the student in any manner.After hearing arguments from both sides and examining the available evidence, the court rejected Ram’s anticipatory bail plea citing the seriousness of the allegations, while allowing relief to Sangeetha Nambiar.
DR MK Ram, former head of the Anatomy Department at Kannur Dental College, who is facing allegations of harassment, including casteist remarks and body shaming, was denied anticipatory bail by the Kannur District and Principal Sessions Court on Saturday, April 25.
In the same case, another faculty member, Sangeetha Nambiar, was granted anticipatory bail.
Both have been named as accused in connection with the death of first-year BDS student Nithin Raj, 22, a native of Uzhamalackal in Thiruvananthapuram. Police have invoked charges of abetment to suicide under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, including Section 3(1)(r), which pertains to intentional insult or intimidation of an SC/ST member in public view.
Dr Ram, in his bail plea, denied role in the student’s death and stated that Nithin Raj had been struggling academically and had low internal marks. The plea said faculty members had advised him to improve his performance.
The plea also claimed that Nithin Raj had taken private loans and allegedly used a professor’s phone number without consent. This reportedly led to repeated calls from recovery agents, who continued to contact the professor seeking repayment. The situation escalated to a cyber police complaint after the calls persisted.
Following the complaint, Nithin Raj was summoned to the office of principal Vinod Mony on April 10, where he was questioned for over an hour in the presence of senior faculty, the plea stated.
It further alleged that he was later reprimanded publicly and warned that his parents and the police would be informed.
Nithin Raj was found lying on a stone-paved area between the administrative block and hospital around 1.30 pm on April 10. He was taken to the casualty department but was declared dead at 3.35 pm.
Sangeetha Nambiar, in her plea, maintained that she had no involvement in the incident and denied harassing the student in any manner.
After hearing arguments from both sides and examining the available evidence, the court rejected Ram’s anticipatory bail plea citing the seriousness of the allegations, while allowing relief to Sangeetha Nambiar.
