The Kerala High Court on Friday, May 31, granted bail to 19 students who have been charged for multiple offences including ragging and abetment to suicide, in connection with the death of veterinary student JS Sidharthan. Justice CS Dias allowed their bail applications observing that he did not find sufficient evidence to establish “any positive act on the part of the accused to have instigated or aided” Sidharthan to die by suicide. Sidharthan was a second year student at the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in Pookode, Wayanad, and was found dead in his hostel on February 18. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that investigated his death concluded that repeated physical assault, humiliation, and harassment by his college mates, pushed him to die by suicide.
The court has released the accused on bail on the following conditions: they have to execute a bond for Rs 50,000 with two sureties; they should appear before the Investigating Officer as and when directed; they should not directly or indirectly threaten or induce any person related to the case or tamper with the evidence; they shouldn’t commit any offence and should surrender their passports before the court; them should not leave Kerala; and should not enter Wayanad district until the completion of the trial.
During the hearing, the counsel for the petitioners claimed that Sidharthan resorted to suicide because of the “embarrassment and shame” after allegedly misbehaving with one of his female classmates. They also argued that the only non-bailable offence charged against the petitioners was abetment of suicide, which they contended is not applicable in this situation, and that the accused were in judicial custody for 90 days and thus must be released on bail.
The court also accepted their contention that there were no ante-mortem (made or done just before one's death) injuries on Sidharthan’s body as per the post mortem report, and therefore ruled that there was no sufficient evidence to establish that they abetted Sidharthan’s suicide. The court, thus, ordered that they are entitled to be released on bail as the investigation in the case is complete and the final report is filed.
The CBI had submitted its final report to the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Ernakulam on April 25. Its findings align with those in an interim report by an anti-ragging squad, indicating that Sidharthan was brutally tortured in the hostel days before his death. Some of the accused are members of the Students Federation of India (SFI), an organisation linked to the Communist Party of India (Marxist). On March 2, the anti-ragging committee of the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at Pookode barred 31 students from studies — 19 of them for three years, and 12 for one year.
All the 19 accused in the case have been charged under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 342 (wrongful confinement), 355 (assault or criminal force with intent to dishonor person), 306 (abetment of suicide), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), as well as under sections 4 (penalty for ragging) and 3 (prohibition of ragging) of The Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1998.
Read TNM's extensive coverage surrounding Sidharthan's death:
If you are aware of anyone facing mental health issues or feeling suicidal, please provide help. Here are some helpline numbers of suicide-prevention organisations that can offer emotional support to individuals and families.
Tamil Nadu
State health department's suicide helpline: 104
Sneha Suicide Prevention Centre - 044-24640050 (listed as the sole suicide prevention helpline in Tamil Nadu)
Andhra Pradesh
Life Suicide Prevention: 78930 78930
Roshni: 9166202000, 9127848584
Karnataka
Sahai (24-hour): 080 65000111, 080 65000222
Kerala
Maithri: 0484 2540530
Chaithram: 0484 2361161
Both are 24-hour helpline numbers.
Telangana
State government's suicide prevention (toll free): 104
Roshni: 040 66202000, 6620200
SEVA: 09441778290, 040 27504682 (between 9 am and 7 pm
Aasara offers support to individuals and families during an emotional crisis, for those dealing with mental health issues and suicidal ideation, and to those undergoing trauma after the suicide of a loved one.
24x7 Helpline: 9820466726
Click here for working helplines across India.
