Thiruvananthapuram, a state-level hartal called by various Dalit organizations seeking justice in the death of Kannur Dental College student Nithin Raj, was observed across Kerala on Tuesday.
The protest affected normal life, as activists obstructed vehicle movement in many parts of the state.
Incidents of hartal supporters forcing shops to close were also reported at various places.
In several areas, including the state capital and Kannur, hartal supporters blocked vehicles. However, two-wheelers were allowed to pass.
Various Dalit organizations announced a state-level hartal on Monday to demand justice in Raj’s death.
The hartal is being monitored from 6 am to 6 pm on Tuesday.
As many as 52 Dalit organisations, including the Justice for Nithin Raj Action Council, have called for the strike.
While the organizations requested public cooperation for the protest, they stated on Monday that no vehicles would be forcibly stopped and all essential services would be exempted.
Raj, a first-year BDS student at a private dental college at Ancharakandi in Kannur district, was found seriously injured after falling from a building on April 10 and later succumbed to his injuries.
The police have registered a case against two faculty members for abetment to suicide under the provisions of the SC/ST Act, following allegations from the student’s family that he was being harassed on the basis of caste and gender.
Kerala Pinuka Samudaya Munnani, one of the organizations supporting the hartal, alleged in a statement that the police showed apathy in the investigation and was trying to protect the accused.
KPSM state president KV Padmanabhan and general secretary S. Anwar alleged that the investigation into Raj’s death was misdirected and deliberately delayed.
While the family vehemently alleged that caste discrimination and mental harassment by faculty members led to the student’s death, the police were trying to shift the investigation towards loan applications, they claimed.
The organization further claimed that this was a planned move to protect the real accused.
KPSM also alleged that by deliberately delaying the arrest of the accused teachers, the police enabled them to obtain anticipatory bail.
They stated that there was no confidence in the current police investigation and demanded that the case be handed over to an independent agency as soon as possible.
This article was generated from an automated news feed without any modifications to the text.
