Published Jul 20, 2026 | 10:38 AM ⚊ Updated Jul 20, 2026 | 7:15 PM
Dr MK Ram, the prime accused in the suicide of Nithin Raj.
Synopsis: Dr MK Ram, who had allegedly subjected Nithin Raj to caste-based harassment, has been arrested after months on the run. Nithin Raj died by suicide over three months ago.
Dr MK Ram, the prime accused in the suicide of Ancharakandi Dental College student Nithin Raj, has been arrested by a Kerala Crime Branch team after being on the run for months. He was taken into custody from Kodagu in Karnataka and later brought to the Crime Branch office in Kannur, where he is being interrogated.
Investigators said Ram had been moving between different locations in Andhra Pradesh before crossing into Karnataka. He was reportedly intercepted in Kodagu while attempting to evade the police once again. Officers also found that he had altered his appearance by growing a beard to avoid detection.
The search for Ram gathered momentum after the Supreme Court dismissed his anticipatory bail petition—following an earlier rejection by the Kerala High Court on June 19. A Crime Branch team travelled to Andhra Pradesh to arrest him after the High Court order.
However, Dr Ram approached the Supreme Court, prompting most members of the team to return while two officers continued surveillance in Andhra Pradesh. After the apex court also rejected his plea, additional officers were deployed, leading to an intensified manhunt that eventually resulted in his arrest.
According to investigators, tracing Ram proved difficult because he had stopped using his mobile phone.
Police said he frequently shifted locations in rural areas and would leave immediately whenever unfamiliar people appeared nearby. The investigation also found that Ram initially received assistance from his brother, who is a local TDP leader in Andhra Pradesh.
Nithin Raj, the son of Y Rajan and CR Latha, died by suicide on April 10 after jumping from a building at the dental college. He hailed from Uzhamalakkal, Puthukulangara, Chalakkad, near Aryanad.
His family alleged that he was subjected to caste-based harassment by Dr Ram and Dr Sangeetha Nambiar, which drove him to take the extreme step. The initial police investigation, however, concluded that the immediate trigger for the suicide was linked to financial pressure arising from a loan app transaction.
During the probe, four persons were arrested from Noida in connection with the loan app case.
Dr Sangeetha Nambiar, who is also an accused, has since secured anticipatory bail.
While rejecting Dr Ram’s anticipatory bail application earlier, the court made strong observations about the allegations against him.
It noted that Nithin Raj had allegedly been humiliated inside the classroom and questioned whether the accused had considered the psychological impact of such public abuse on a student. The court remarked that a teacher could not be permitted to escape accountability for such conduct.
During the proceedings before the Supreme Court, the state government informed the court that Dr Ram had been absconding for nearly three months before his arrest.
With his custody now secured, the Crime Branch is expected to continue questioning him as part of the ongoing investigation into Nithin Raj’s death.
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(With inputs from Dileep V Kumar.)
