Dalit Dental Student Suicide: Traumatic incident in Kerala, allegations of discrimination created uproar

R.L., a 22-year-old Dalit dental student from Uzhamalakkal, Thiruvananthapuram. Nitin Raj died on April 10, 2026, after falling from a building at Anjarkandi Dental College (Kannur Dental College), located in Anjarkandi, Kannur district, Kerala. He was found critically injured in the campus area between the administrative and hospital blocks in the afternoon; He was immediately taken to Kannur Medical College Hospital, where he died of his injuries at around 3 pm.

Nitin Raj, who belonged to a Scheduled Caste (SC) family and whose parents were daily wage labourers, reportedly faced repeated caste-based harassment, verbal abuse, racial discrimination and insults by some faculty members. His family claims that he was targeted because of his caste identity, dark complexion and ordinary economic background. In an audio clip that surfaced after his death, Nitin can reportedly be heard narrating the public humiliation, threats of physical violence, disruption of academic work and emotional harassment faced by teachers.

Following the incident, the college appointed Dr. M.K., head of the department of dental anatomy. Ram (also known as Dr. K. Ram) and Associate Professor Dr. K.T. Sangeeta Nambiar suspended. Kerala Police has registered a case under section 108 of the Indian Justice Code (abetment of suicide) and relevant provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) is probing the case, which is recording statements of family, classmates and officials as well as collecting digital evidence.

Nithin’s body was taken to Thiruvananthapuram, where it was buried on the family land. The incident has sparked widespread outrage, protests by student and Dalit organizations and condemnation by political leaders from various parties; These include Congress’s Ramesh Chennithala, who has demanded a high-level investigation. Many have called it an institutional failure and highlighted concerns over caste discrimination in Kerala’s higher education institutions, demanding justice.

The case has intensified debate over campus racism, students’ mental health and the effectiveness of safeguards against social discrimination in professional colleges. The investigation is still ongoing.