Wayanad: The police have come under fire for avoiding murder and conspiracy charges against the 18 SFI activists accused in the death of Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University student J S Sidharthan. Manorama News reported that the probe team have not invoked stricter charges against the college students. Earlier, the father of the deceased alleged that police only slapped weak charges against the accused.
At present, the accused are booked for abetment of suicide, wrongful restraint and voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means, under the IPC and the Kerala Prohibition of Ragging Act.
Amid this, Sidharthan's family released a voice clip of his friend who was heard saying that a gang of SFI activists including his female friend beaten him to death.
“ Many people who were present in the campus brutally assaulted him by using cables and belts. His batchmates and outsiders are also involved in it. He was beaten to death. Those who pretend to be gentlemen before the public were like vultures,” Sidharhtan's friend told his family.
Meanwhile, police custody of the six accused who were arrested earlier will expire on Monday. The probe team will produce them before the court for further procedures. It is learnt that the officials are likely to submit a plea before the court seeking their custody.
On Sunday, police took Sinjo Johnson, the key accused in the case to the men's hostel of the university for evidence collection.
Alleging lapses in the police investigation, Congress demanded a CBI probe into the case. In a letter written to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, opposition leader VD Satheesan said that details of the brutal assault that led to the death of 20-year-old Sidharthan J S on February 18, are emerging out from the university.
"His parents are alleging that a mob led by SFI leaders held a public trial for days without giving him food or water and brutally assaulted him to death before hanging him. It's a serious matter that the teachers were also part of this brutality," Satheesan said.
The Congress leader alleged that there were serious lapses in the police investigation and they (police) even attempted to protect the accused in the case.
"We cannot expect a fair investigation from the police. Such an incident should not be repeated in Kerala. The family is demanding a CBI probe. The state government should consider all the factors and hand over the case to CBI to bring out the facts and conspiracy behind the incident," Satheesan said.
Sidharthan, who was a second-year student of Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, was found hanging in the bathroom of his hostel on February 18.
