KOZHIKODE: A team from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrived in Wayanad on Saturday in connection with the investigation into the suicide abetment case of 2nd year BVSc student J S Sidharthan (21) who studied at the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at Pookode in Wayanad. Sidharthan was found hanging in the washroom of the hostel on Feb 18 at the college after he was assaulted by a group of students for two days after a ‘public’ trial.
According to sources, CBI officers met senior officers of Wayanad Police including the Kalpetta deputy SP as part of taking over the case.Official sources said that some of the files were handed over to the central agency on Friday and all case documents would be handed over by Saturday. The CBI officers are camping at Wayanad’s Vythiri guest house, said sources, adding that the central agency would soon record the statement of T Jayaprakash, the victim’s father.
An interim report of the anti-ragging squad had found that a brutal physical assault and public trial, which amounted to ragging, had happened at the college and Sidharthan was the victim. The student, wearing only a brief, was forcibly brought by a group of students to the open area in the middle of the ground floor of the hostel called the ‘quadrangle’ which was visible from all floors of the hostel block.
As many students watched, Sidharthan was forced to apologize publicly for his alleged misbehaviour with a girl. A group of students shouted at him and beat him up on the night of Feb 16, said the report. The report had also narrated the brutality faced by the student. He was slapped, kicked, and beaten using hands, belts and what appeared to be a charger cord of some electronic gadgets, the report said.
Couple of weeks ago, the govt had suspended three home department officials for delaying the procedures that are to be completed for giving the case to the CBI. It is also learnt that CM sought a report on the delay from the home secretary. Also, sources had confirmed that a section assistant, section officer and a deputy secretary in the home department were suspended last Tuesday, pending inquiry.
According to sources, CBI officers met senior officers of Wayanad Police including the Kalpetta deputy SP as part of taking over the case.Official sources said that some of the files were handed over to the central agency on Friday and all case documents would be handed over by Saturday. The CBI officers are camping at Wayanad’s Vythiri guest house, said sources, adding that the central agency would soon record the statement of T Jayaprakash, the victim’s father.
An interim report of the anti-ragging squad had found that a brutal physical assault and public trial, which amounted to ragging, had happened at the college and Sidharthan was the victim. The student, wearing only a brief, was forcibly brought by a group of students to the open area in the middle of the ground floor of the hostel called the ‘quadrangle’ which was visible from all floors of the hostel block.
As many students watched, Sidharthan was forced to apologize publicly for his alleged misbehaviour with a girl. A group of students shouted at him and beat him up on the night of Feb 16, said the report. The report had also narrated the brutality faced by the student. He was slapped, kicked, and beaten using hands, belts and what appeared to be a charger cord of some electronic gadgets, the report said.
Couple of weeks ago, the govt had suspended three home department officials for delaying the procedures that are to be completed for giving the case to the CBI. It is also learnt that CM sought a report on the delay from the home secretary. Also, sources had confirmed that a section assistant, section officer and a deputy secretary in the home department were suspended last Tuesday, pending inquiry.