Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan suspended M.R. Saseendranath, vice-chancellor of Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University on Saturday in connection with the recent death of Sidharthan J.S, a student of the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in Pookode. The governor also visited the student’s family and condoled his death.
Suspending Saseendranath, Governor Khan, who is also the chancellor of the university said, “The developments which culminated into the unfortunate death of Sidharthan J.S. indicates the affairs in the university are not being attended by the vice-chancellor with desired sincerity, gravity and promptness as mandates in the Act / Statutes of University and other relevant rules and regulations in force.”
Khan said he had sought reports from the vice-chancellor and the University regarding the incident and said it was a “testimony to gross dereliction of duty on the part of the vice-chancellor”. Invoking section 9(9) of the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University Act, 2010, the governor also recommended a judicial enquiry by a sitting or retired judge of the Supreme Court or High Court.
Sidharthan, a Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry student in the college, was discovered dead in the hostel bathroom on February 18. Recently, the youth's parents came forward, asserting that he had endured days of brutal torture, including starvation, purportedly inflicted by his hostel mates because he had danced with some female students on Valentine's Day. According to the post-mortem report, Sidharthan suffered at least 18 sets of contusions or abrasions on his body.
Meanwhile, Governor Khan visited Sidharthan’s family and condoled his death. Khan met Sidharthan’s father and mother and consoled them.
Khan told presspersons, “We have decided to suspend the vice-chancellor of the university and order an inquiry. This is merely not a case of one student losing his life." Khan said police have admitted the role of SFI in Sidharthan’s death. “Police are admitting involvement of an SFI activist, the University is also accepting it. I feel the real problem is the cult of violence being promoted in our state. Our youth is being exploited here. Kerala society needs to think about it- how can this cult of violence be promoted here?", ANI reported.