All the 18 accused in a case pertaining to the death of Sidharth J.S., a second-year Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry student of the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at Pookode in Wayanad, have been nabbed from different places. Sidharth was found hanging in the hostel bathroom on the university campus on February 18.
Seven accused were taken into custody on Saturday. They were identified as J. Ajay, 24, from Adoor; A. Althaf, 21, from Paravoor, Kollam; V. Adithyan, 20, from Puthiyottukara in Kozhikode; E.K. Saud Rizal, 21, from Edathola Kurikkal, Malappuram; Sinjo Johnson, 22, from Odanavattom, Kollam; Muhammed Danish, 23, from Edavanna, Malappuram; and R.S. Kashinath from Kizhakkumbhagam in Kollam.
Ajay was nabbed from Bengaluru while Althaf was taken into custody from a relative’s house in Kollam. The police apprehended Sinjo Johnson, Adithyan, Saud Rizal, and Danish at Kalpetta. Kashinathan surrendered before the investigating team. District Police Chief T. Narayanan had recently constituted a special team for the investigation led by Deputy Superintendent of Police T.N. Sajeevan.
Protest march
Meanwhile, a protest march was taken out under the aegis of the District Congress Committee (DCC) to the university headquarters at Pookode alleging apathy on the part of the police in arresting all the accused. The protesters were blocked by the police at the university campus entrance.
