Nithin Raj's death: State-wide hartal tomorrow in Kerala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Dalit organisations called for a hartal tomorrow, demanding the arrest of those responsible for the death of BDS student Nithin Raj of Kannur Anjarakandy Dental College. 52 Dalit organisations have called for a state-wide hartal tomorrow. The Nithin Raj Action Council has demanded that vehicles not be stopped during the hartal, which will be held from 6 am to 6 pm. Essential services have been exempted from the hartal.

Meanwhile, Kannur District General Secretary of the Bus Operators Association Rajkumar Karuvarath announced that private bus services will not be disrupted in Kannur. The Traders and Businessmen Coordination Committee also announced that shops will open. Kerala Traders and Businessmen Coordination Committee State Vice President P. C. Jacob announced in a press release that they will not cooperate with the hartal. P. C. Jacob clarified that all traders, members of the coordination committee, will open their shops as usual tomorrow.

The hartal is being held to demand implementation of the Rohith Vemula Act, compensation of Rs 10 crore to Nithin Raj's family, cancellation of the affiliation of Anjarakandy Dental College, and a judicially supervised investigation into the case.