Remand report confirms Sidharthan's savage torture and 'public trial' in hostel

KOZHIKODE: The special investigation team probing the death of second-year BVSc student J S Sidharthan (21) at College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in Pookode, Wayanad collected evidence on Sunday by taking key accused Sinjo Johnson (22) to the men's hostel. It has recovered an electric cable and a glue gun used to assault Sidharthan.
The police remand report, meanwhile, confirmed the savage nature of the public trial and assault on Sidharthan before he took his life on Feb 18.It said Sidharthan who left for his home on Feb 15 was called back to the campus to settle an allegation levelled against him by the accused that he misbehaved with a girl student, as per an "unwritten law" in the men's hostel.
Sinjo Johnson, hailing from Kollam, was arrested by police on Saturday. He was taken to rooms 21, 36 and 18 of the hostel and its courtyard, where Sidharthan was assaulted on Feb 16 and 17, by investigating officer Kalpetta DSP T N Sajeev on Sunday afternoon. He handed over to police a glue gun with a long cord that was used to assault Sidharthan. They have also seized a slipper from Sinjo's hostel room. Sinjo explained to them places and manner in which Sidharthan was assaulted. The collection of evidence lasted for around two hours from 4.30pm.
Police sources said Sinjo was the person who led the assault on Sidharthan. As many as 18 persons, including college union office-bearers and SFI leaders, have been arrested in the case under IPC sections for abetment of suicide, assault and ragging.
‘Need in-depth probe to conclude murder possibility’
According to remand report, the accused asked Sidharthan to come back to hostel with an intention to insult him in front of other college students through a public trial.
“The insults and assault in the public trial drove Sidharthan to a situation where there was no other way but death before him,” it says.
The report has sought an in-depth investigation to draw a clear conclusion about the possibility of murder in the wake of allegations levelled by Sidharthan’s family.
“The accused in the case, comprising senior students and batchmates, had asked Sidharthan to return to the campus to settle the issue, saying that if the issue is proceeded as per law then it will end up in police case,” the report says.
Sidharthan was brought back to the campus on Feb 16 morning, after which the accused kept him under illegal detention.
They beat him up from 9pm on Feb 16 at various places on the campus and at room 21 of the men's hostel. It says Sidhar than was made to stand in the courtyard of the hostel wearing just an underwear and was tortured cruelly and insulted by beating him with a belt and cable and using hands and kicking him in front of other students in a public trial till 2am on Feb 17.
The report also says if the accused are provided bail, then there is a possibility that they could influence witnesses who are students of the same college and some of whom are classmates.