Dr M.K. Ram arrested in Nithin Raj death case after months on the run
Synopsis
Months after Kannur dental student Nithin Raj's death triggered allegations of caste-based harassment, the Supreme Court's rejection of his anticipatory bail and a cross-state manhunt finally caught prime accused Dr M.K. Ram hiding at a plantation in Kodagu — his arrest closing one chapter while the question of who sheltered him remains wide open.
Key Takeaways
The Crime Branch arrested Dr M.K.
Ram , prime accused in the Nithin Raj death case, on 20 July from Kodagu, Karnataka .
Nithin Raj R.L. , 22 , a BDS student at Anjarakandy Dental College, Kannur , died on 10 April after a fall from the fifth floor of the college building.
Family and fellow students alleged sustained caste-based harassment by faculty; the college suspended Ram and K.T.
Sangeetha Nambiar on 11 April .
The Supreme Court rejected Ram's anticipatory bail plea and made severe observations on his alleged conduct, after which he allegedly went underground.
Ram had altered his appearance by growing a beard; an earlier operation in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh failed when he fled before police arrived.
The Crime Branch is probing who aided Ram's evasion; custodial interrogation is expected after he is produced before court.
The Crime Branch on Monday, 20 July arrested Dr M.K. Ram, the prime accused in the death of Kannur dental student Nithin Raj, ending a prolonged evasion that had drawn judicial censure from the Supreme Court and widespread public outrage. Ram was apprehended from a plantation in Kodagu (Coorg), Karnataka, and brought to the Crime Branch office in Kannur for questioning.
Background: A Student's Death and Caste Harassment Allegations
Nithin Raj R.L., a 22-year-old BDS student at Anjarakandy Dental College in Kannur, was found critically injured on the campus on 10 April after a fall from the fifth floor of the college building. He was declared dead at Kannur Medical College Hospital later that day. The son of a daily-wage labourer from Thiruvananthapuram, Nithin had secured his BDS seat after multiple attempts at the NEET examination, joining the college in September 2025.
What was initially treated as an unnatural death quickly escalated when family members and fellow students alleged sustained caste-based harassment by faculty members. The college suspended two faculty members on 11 April — Dr M.K. Ram, Head of the Department of Oral Pathology, and K.T. Sangeetha Nambiar. Nambiar is currently out on bail.
How Ram Was Tracked Down
Ram's arrest followed a closely guarded inter-state operation. The breakthrough came after the Supreme Court rejected his anticipatory bail plea, following which he allegedly went underground and altered his appearance by growing a beard. Investigators had earlier travelled to Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh on a tip-off, but Ram reportedly fled the location before police arrived.
Acting on fresh intelligence that Ram was sheltering at a plantation in Kodagu, the Crime Branch team crossed the state border with the assistance of local police and carried out the raid that led to his arrest. The Crime Branch is now probing whether Ram received assistance from local contacts while absconding.
Allegations of Powerful Connections
The prolonged delay in securing Ram's arrest had triggered sharp criticism from Nithin's family, student organisations, and the public. Nithin's family and the Action Council formed in his support repeatedly alleged that Ram's purported links with influential political and administrative figures had enabled him to evade arrest — allegations that have not been independently verified but which gained traction as months passed without a custody.
The case drew national attention after the Supreme Court made severe observations on the alleged conduct of the accused while rejecting his anticipatory bail plea.
What Happens Next
The Crime Branch is expected to seek Ram's custodial interrogation after producing him before the court. Investigators hope questioning will reveal who aided his escape and shed further light on the sequence of events that allegedly led to Nithin Raj's death. A probe official told reporters on Monday morning: 'The questioning is going on and at the appropriate time, we will give you all the details.'
Nithin's sister Rahkee reacted to the arrest, saying: 'Finally we are happy that the powerful person on the run has been finally arrested. We will get justice only after the punishment is handed to him.'
Point of View
A Supreme Court rebuke, and a cross-state manhunt to arrest a suspended college department head speaks to a systemic failure in executing custodial proceedings against accused persons with alleged institutional connections. The family's allegation that political and administrative links shielded Ram from arrest has not been proven — but the timeline of evasion, the failed Chittoor operation, and the need for inter-state coordination to catch a man hiding at a plantation make the question unavoidable. The Crime Branch's next task — establishing who provided shelter and logistics — may prove more consequential than the arrest itself.
NationPress
21 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Dr M.K. Ram and why was he arrested?
Dr M.K. Ram is the former Head of the Department of Oral Pathology at Anjarakandy Dental College in Kannur, Kerala. He was arrested on 20 July as the prime accused in the death of 22-year-old dental student Nithin Raj, who died on 10 April after a fall from the fifth floor of the college building amid allegations of caste-based harassment by faculty.
Where was Dr M.K. Ram found and how was he caught?
Ram was apprehended from a plantation in Kodagu (Coorg), Karnataka, following intelligence-based operations by the Crime Branch. He had allegedly grown a beard to alter his appearance while in hiding. An earlier operation in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh, failed when he fled before police arrived.
What role did the Supreme Court play in this case?
The Supreme Court rejected Dr M.K. Ram's anticipatory bail plea and made severe observations on his alleged conduct. Ram allegedly went underground after the court's ruling, triggering the extended manhunt that culminated in his arrest.
What were the allegations against Dr M.K. Ram?
Family members and fellow students of Nithin Raj alleged that Ram, along with another faculty member, subjected Nithin to sustained caste-based harassment. The college suspended Ram and K.T. Sangeetha Nambiar on 11 April, the day after Nithin's death. These are allegations under investigation; no conviction has been recorded.
What happens next in the Nithin Raj case?
The Crime Branch is expected to seek custodial interrogation of Dr M.K. Ram after producing him before court. Investigators are probing who assisted Ram during his months of evasion. The questioning is also expected to shed further light on the events that allegedly led to Nithin Raj's death.
