Kerala govt refers probe into Sidharthan's death case to CBI

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], March 9 (ANI): The Kerala government on Saturday referred the investigation into the death of J S Sidharthan, a second-year veterinary student, to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
A notification for this came after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan ordered the transfer of the investigation to the CBI when Sidharthan's family met him at his office.
"In exercise of the powers conferred by section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act,1946(Central Act 25 of 1946), the Government of Kerala hereby accord consent to the members of the Delhi Special Police Establishment. to exercise powers and jurisdiction in the whole of the State of Kerala, for the investigation of offenses involved in Crime No.77/2024 of Vythiri Police Station, Wayanad District, registered in connection with the death of Sidharthan.J.S, S/o Sri.Jayaprakash, Pavithram Kunnumpurath veedu, Kurakkode, Vinod Nagar, Nedumangad P.O., Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala and matters related thereto," said the notification.
Opposition parties and the father of the student had blamed the Student Federation of India (SFI) for the death of the student.
"The Chief Minister has ordered CBI enquiry into the death of Sidharthan, the second-year veterinary student in Pookkode after his family met CM at his office," an official release said on Saturday.
Sidharthan was a student of Government Veterinary College, Pookkode in the state. According to police, he was found hanging in his hostel room on February 18.
Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan suspended Vice Chancellor of the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University MR Saseendranath in connection with the death of the veterinary student.
On March 1, T Jayaprakash, the father of the veterinary student, alleged that the death of his son seemed to be a "murder sponsored by the leaders and workers of the SFI."
Talking to ANI, Jayaprakash said that one of the friends of Sidharthan informed him that the death of his son was "a well-planned murder" and that "brutal ragging" is regular in the college.
Sidharthan's relatives told reporters that he was brutally attacked by a group of students inside the campus and it "is a case of murder and not suicide". Kerala Police had arrested six people in connection with the death of the student.
Following the government's decision for a CBI probe, opposition parties ended their protest. Mahila Congress president Jebi Mather, Youth Congress president Rahul Mamkootathil and KSU state President Aloshious Xavier were among those who were protesting over their demand for a CBI probe. (ANI)