Kerala college student’s death: Governor Arif Mohammed Khan suspends V-C of veterinary university

“The indifferent, negligent and callous attitude of the VC towards his duties and responsibilities especially against the background of the unfortunate incident is revealed from his report. There was gross dereliction of duty on the part of the VC during the period that led to the unfortunate incident,” the suspension order further states.

Governor Khan said the registrar of the Kerala High Court would be approached with regard to the judicial probe. “Being a fit case to invoke Section 9(9) of the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University Act, 2010, an inquiry by a person, who is or who has been a judge of the high court or the supreme court is ordered. The registrar of the high court would be requested in this regard in due course,” the order said.

Suspending the V-C, Khan said that lack of regard towards a harmonious atmosphere on the campus and indifference towards the affairs of the university under the leadership of the incumbent V-C has gone “beyond comprehension in terms of rule of law”, which is an ominous sign and does not augur well for the affairs at the university and the higher education sector in the state. “At this juncture, absence of a rarest of rare kind action would impede the course of justice,” the order said.