The Kannur-based Prestige Group of Institutions, which runs four colleges at the Ancharakandy campus, on Thursday expelled Dr M K Ram, according to Dental College Principal Vinod Mony. Dr Ram is the main accused in the abetment of suicide case of first-year BDS student Nithin Raj, who died on April 10. He was a faculty member at the college for the last 10 years.

Dr Ram and another faculty member, K T Sangeetha Nambiar, were earlier suspended on Saturday. Police have registered a case against the two of them for abetment of suicide and under provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, based on allegations that Nithin Raj was harassed over his caste and complexion.

Raj was found critically injured near the medical college block, allegedly after falling off a building and later succumbed to his injuries. Student representatives had demanded the removal of Dr Ram from the college and action against other staff allegedly involved.

Meanwhile, protests intensified in Kannur on Thursday, with students of Kannur Dental College staging an agitation on campus, alleging caste-based harassment by faculty members. DYFI workers marched to Dr Dilna’s Dental Clinic in Edakkad, owned by Dr Ram, who is also the Head of the Dental Anatomy Department. The march led to clashes with police.