Bogdansry at 07:11, 26 March 2026

2026-03-26T07:11:26Z

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{{Short description|2024 death of a Kerala student}}
{{Update|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox event
| title = Death of Sidharthan
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| date = {{start date and age|2024|2|18}}
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| place = [[Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University]], Kerala, India
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| inquiries = [[Kerala Police]] investigations
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}}

On 18 February 2024, '''Sidharthan''', a 20-year-old veterinary science student<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-02-28 |title=Six held in custody for ragging death of Wayanad Vet student |url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/six-accused-in-police-custody-in-ragging-death-case-of-wayanad-student-1.9363602 |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=English.Mathrubhumi |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-02-29 |title=After death of 20-year-old at Kerala college, claims that he was mercilessly ragged by members of CPI(M)'s student outfit |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/thiruvananthapuram/as-suicide-and-ragging-claims-rock-kerala-university-cpim-student-wing-comes-under-scanner-sfi-9187314/ |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> of [[Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University]], was found dead in his hostel in [[Pookode]], [[Wayanad]], Kerala.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Assary |first=Gilvester |date=2024-02-29 |title=Vet University Student's Death Rocks Kerala |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/news/crime/vet-university-students-death-rocks-kerala-883771 |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=[[Deccan Chronicle]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-01 |title=Death of veterinary student: College officials accused of laxity |url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/death-of-veterinary-student-wayanad-1.9369078 |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=English.Mathrubhumi |language=en}}</ref> The [[Students' Federation of India|Students' Federation of India (SFI)]]<ref name="indianexpress.com" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> branch at the university was accused of [[ragging]] Sidharthan because Sidharthan had danced with some senior female students at a [[Valentine's Day]] event. Leadership of the Students' Federation of India visited Sidharthan's family and apologized for the conduct of SFI members at the university.

==Investigation==
On 18 February, Sidharthan was found hanging in the washroom of his hostel.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Raghunath |first=Arjun |date=2024-02-29 |title=Brutal ragging and mob trial led to student's death in Kerala |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/kerala/brutal-ragging-and-mob-trial-led-to-students-death-in-kerala-2916197 |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en}}</ref> An autopsy suggested that Sidharthan had died due to hanging,<ref name="indianexpress.com" /> and that prior to his death, Sidharthan had "sustained multiple blunt injuries"<ref name="indianexpress.com" /> and had not eaten.<ref name=":0" />

Following his death, the [[Students' Federation of India|Students' Federation of India (SFI)]]<ref name="indianexpress.com">{{Cite web |date=2024-03-01 |title=4 SFI members among 11 arrested in Kerala college student death |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/thiruvananthapuram/kerala-veterinary-student-death-arrest-9189636/ |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=rashmi.kuttan |title=Kerala student death case: SFI seeks apology from family of Sidharthan; police conduct evidence collection |url=https://newsable.asianetnews.com/kerala-news/kerala-student-death-case-sfi-seeks-apology-from-family-of-sidharthan-police-conduct-evidence-collection-rkn-s9t3jp |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=Asianet News Network Pvt Ltd |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Sreejith |first=K. S. |date=2024-03-04 |title=SFI, CPM under lens over Sidharthan death case |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/04/sfi-cpm-under-lens-over-sidharthan-death-case |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> branch at the university was accused of [[ragging]] Sidharthan, which had led to his death; Sidharthan's parents accused the group of murdering him outright.<ref name=":0" />

According to police, there had been a 'tiff' on 14 February<ref name=":0" /> because Sidharthan had danced with some senior female students at a Valentine's Day event.<ref name="indianexpress.com" /> This escalated into "brutal assault" by a group of senior students in the courtyard of the hostel on 15 February. Sidarthan contacted his mother briefly on 16 February, saying he was not feeling well and was resting.<ref name=":0" />

The Special Investigation Team of [[Kerala Police]] arrested four [[Students' Federation of India|SFI Kerala]] leaders on 1 March 2024. The SFI also fired the four.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2024-02-29 |title=Wayanad student suicide: Six arrested for college student's suicide |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Feb/29/wayanad-student-suicide-six-arrested-for-college-students-suicide |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}}</ref><ref>https://english.janamtv.com/news/kerala/97085/six-students-arrested-in-pookode-veterinary-college-students-death-case-12-others-including-sfi-leaders-abscond/</ref> By 1 March, 11 people had been arrested in connection with the death, with 18 students accused in total.<ref name="indianexpress.com" />

==Reactions==
[[List of governors of Kerala|Kerala governor]] [[Arif Mohammad Khan|Arif Mohammed Khan]] issued an order suspending the Vice-Chancellor of Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU) over Sidharthan's death on 2024 February 18.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-04 |title=Governor to visit Pookode Veterinary University |url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/sidharthans-death-governor-likely-to-visit-university-campus-in-wayanad-1.9377354 |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=English.Mathrubhumi |language=en}}</ref>

Kerala General Education minister [[V. Sivankutty|V Sivankutty]] said that the government will take strict action against those behind the death of Sidharthan.<ref>{{Cite web |last=ഡെസ്ക് |first=സമകാലിക മലയാളം |date=2024-03-01 |title='രാഷ്ട്രീയം നോക്കില്ല, പ്രതികൾ ആരാണെങ്കിലും പരമാവധി ശിക്ഷ ഉറപ്പാക്കും': സിദ്ധാർഥന്റെ വീട്ടിലെത്തി വി ശിവൻകുട്ടി |url=https://www.samakalikamalayalam.com/keralam/2024/Mar/01/v-sivankutty-visit-sidharthan-house |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=Samakalika Malayalam |language=ml}}</ref>

[[Indian National Congress]]’s [[V. D. Satheesan|V D Satheesan]], the Leader of Opposition, called on Kerala's Chief Minister, [[Pinarayi Vijayan]], to have the [[Central Bureau of Investigation]] investigate the death.<ref>{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=2024-03-03 |title=Congress leaders seek CBI probe into death of Sidharthan |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/satheesan-seeks-cbi-probe-into-death-of-siddharth/article67909981.ece |access-date=2024-03-04 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

The leadership of the Students' Federation of India visited Sidharthan's family and apologized for the conduct of SFI members at the university.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-04 |title=Sidharthan's death: SFI apologises |url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/sfi-apologises-in-sidharthan-death-case-1.9377298 |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=English.Mathrubhumi |language=en}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Campus violence in India}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sidharthan}}
[[Category:2024 deaths]]
[[Category:Deaths by person in India]]
[[Category:February 2024 in India]]
[[Category:2024 in Kerala]]
[[Category:Wayanad district]]
[[Category:Crime in Kerala]]

Death of Sidharthan - Revision history

Bogdansry at 07:11, 26 March 2026