Mob Trials and Absconding Accused: Demanding Justice for Siddharth

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has instructed the state police chief to assemble a special investigative team to investigate the death of 21-year-old Siddharth, a veterinary student. The young man from Thiruvananthapuram was a student at Pookode Veterinary University in Wayanad when he was allegedly the victim of a mob attack and murder.

The Chief Minister also ordered solid legal action against all accused of the horrific incident. However, 11 suspects, including SFI unit secretary Amal Ihsan and union president Arun, remain at large nearly a week after Siddharth’s body was discovered.

Police have taken the first culprit, Akhil, a veterinary university student from Palakkad who allegedly spearheaded the mob attack on Siddharth, into custody. Since Akhil’s arrest in Palakkad, there have been seven overall arrests. The principal offenders connected to the extreme left-wing SFI, however, are still at large.

Siddharth’s body, discovered in a hostel restroom on February 18, bore wounds indicating severe battering and abuse. Police have invoked charges of abetment for suicide, assault and violation of anti-ragging laws against the accused. Officers are gathering evidence to establish conspiracy behind the organized violence.

Campus Unrest and Protests

Meanwhile, ABVP and KSU student organizations have been protesting on the veterinary university campus, demanding immediate arrest of all those involved in Siddharth’s death. Other student groups at the university allege the culprits are SFI activists.

ABVP has organized a 24-hour hunger strike led by second-year BVSc students. KSU also began an indefinite fast on Thursday evening. The Youth Congress has called for a protest march to the campus on Friday to pressure authorities to capture the absconding suspects.

Siddharth, a second-year BVSc student from Nedumangad, faced a mob assault following a spat with fellow students on Valentine’s Day. He was starved and brutally beaten for three straight days before his body was found in a hostel bathroom on February 18.

A postmortem revealed kick marks on his chest and stomach, injuries from a belt whipping across his body, and strangulation with an electric wire around his neck. Police have registered a case against 18 people, including top SFI office-bearers. Still, slow progress in arrests has triggered strong protests from the victim’s family and students. The family accuses Siddharth’s death of hanging and demands justice.

The tragic death of young veterinary student Siddharth has rightfully sparked outrage across Kerala. The alleged brutal mob assault by political activists that drove the 21-year-old to suicide has no place in any educational institution. While police have made a handful of arrests, the slow pace of investigation is unacceptable. Authorities must immediately apprehend the absconding main perpetrators linked to the radical SFI and ensure they face the full force of the law.

Demand for Reform

Chief Minister Vijayan has taken the right step by ordering a special investigation team. However, the state government must also ensure that campus politics does not become organized criminal activities. Siddharth’s grieving family deserves justice. The young man’s dream of becoming a veterinary doctor was cut short by vicious brutality, emphasizing the urgency of delivering justice. His death must serve as a wake-up call to urgently reform student politics and make campuses safe spaces for learning and growth. Campus violence cannot become Kerala’s shameful signature.