Public sentiment is galvanising against the private management of Anjarakandy Dental College following the suspected suicide of medical student Nithin Raj, with his family attributing his death to entrenched casteism on campus. In a Facebook post on Ambedkar Jayanthi on Tuesday (April 14, 2026), Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan termed Nithin Raj’s death “extremely painful”. He said progressive Kerala would never “forgive those who drove Nithin Raj to his death”.
Mr. Vijayan said the Central government has turned a deaf ear to the demand to enact the Rohith Vemula (Prevention of Discrimination, Exclusion or Injustice) (Right to Education and Dignity) Bill. The law proposed by the Karnataka government seeks to prevent caste-based discrimination, harassment, and atrocities against students from the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, Other Backwards Classes scholars from minority communities in all government, private, and deemed higher educational institutions.)
Assures strong action
Dr. Mohanan Kunnumal, Vice-chancellor of the Kerala University, called on Nithin Raj’s parents at their rented house in Uzhamalackal, Thiruvananthapuram. Speaking to reporters, Mr. Kunnumal said strong action, including possible cancellation of affiliation, was underway against the dental college. “I have given an interim report to Governor Rajendra Arlerkar, who is the Chancellor of State universities”, he said.
