On April 10, 2026, 22-year-old dental student Nithin Raj R.L. fell from the fifth floor of Anjarakandy Dental College in Kannur, resulting in his death. The son of a daily wage worker from Uzhamalakkal village in Thiruvananthapuram, he had gained admission to the BDS program in September 2025 after multiple NEET attempts. He was discovered severely injured on campus and pronounced dead at Kannur Medical College Hospital.
Initially classified as an unnatural death, the case evolved amid claims from relatives and peers of ongoing caste-related mistreatment by instructors. The institution suspended two staff members on April 11: Dr. M.K. Ram, head of oral pathology, and K.T. Sangeetha Nambiar. Both later went missing as probes continued.
Following a complaint by Nithin’s father, Rajan, authorities added charges of abetment to suicide under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, plus sections from the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. A separate inquiry examined a mobile loan app that Nithin used.
Police reported that Nithin borrowed Rs. 14,000 via the InstaPay app between December 2025 and January 2026 to cover his mother’s illness. Recovery agents from the app sent him repeated messages and contacted a teacher named Latha Sasidharan, who shared his mother’s name. On April 18, three app operators were detained in Noida.
Investigators suggested this financial pressure might have contributed to his distress. After the teacher informed administrators, Nithin was summoned to the principal’s office. Media-shared CCTV footage depicts him being interrogated by the principal and four faculty, including Sasidharan.
The family dismissed efforts to attribute the tragedy solely to money troubles. Rajan stated to Frontline that a talented student like his son would not end his life over such a small amount, and better communication could have prevented it.
Audio clips shared by Nithin with friends and family, which spread online after his death, detailed insults from Ram in the staff room and classroom, threats to lower grades, public sharing of his errors, and derogatory comments about his mother. He also described general intimidation of students and warnings against speaking up.
His sister told media outlets that he was called a ‘slum dog’ in class and that his complaint to the principal went unaddressed. Rajan believed the treatment stemmed from his son’s reserved category admission and strong academic performance.
Other students reported similar experiences with Ram. Fifth-year student Aashik Narayanan described being targeted and asked if he looked like someone from a poor area. Classmate Archa confirmed Nithin’s accusations, noting Ram’s habit of mocking students’ appearances, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
A student representative acknowledged significant bullying of Nithin, though uncertain if it was caste-specific, and noted his rare pushback against Ram. Regarding Nambiar’s suspension, the representative suggested her inaction during the mockery implicated her, despite her generally milder demeanor.
Politicians from various groups reacted. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan posted on Facebook denouncing the death as unacceptable in forward-thinking Kerala.
CPI(M) leader and ex-Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac criticized the BJP-led central government for failing to enact the proposed Rohith Vemula Act or follow UGC directives, highlighting underlying caste bias. He indicated that action would not await central intervention.
