CBI starts probe into death of veterinary student Siddharth

KALPETTA: CBI has started investigation into the death of Pookode Veterinary College student JS Siddharth. A four-member CBI team comprising SP, two DySPs and an inspector reached Wayanad on Saturday. The team reached Kalpetta in the morning and held talks with District Police Chief MK Narayanan and Kalpetta DySP TN Sajeev who investigated the case earlier. Then a special meeting was held at Vythiri. Preliminary data collection related to the case was done. Two more officers will join the team soon.

The statement of Siddharth's father T Jayaprakash will be recorded on Tuesday. The CBI will apply to the court to interrogate the remanded accused. There are 20 accused are in remand. They will be interrogated separately and later together. JS Siddharth, a second year BVSc student of Pookode Veterinary College, was found hanging in the college's hostel toilet on February 18. The move of the college authorities was to dismiss it as suicide. The police also started the investigation by assuming it as suicide. Later, shocking information came out in the report of the Anti-Ragging Committee and other sources. Siddharth's family is adamant that he was murdered.

Additional chief secretary Bishwanath Sinha has ordered to provide all necessary assistance to the CBI officials probing the case.