Kochi: Kerala Police arrested three persons from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana accused of abetting suicide of dental student Nitin Raj in Kannur in Kerala, media reports said.
Rishikesh Tiwari, 32, Prashant Kheval, 28, of Uttar Pradesh Prakash Jay, 54 of Haryana were arrested from Noida in Uttar Pradesh.
They were allegedly accused of mentally torturing Nitin in the name of repayment of loan money of Rs 15,000.
The Kerala police registered the case under Section 308 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Section 13 of the Kerala Money Lenders Act, 1958, and Section 9(1)(a) and 9(2) of the Kerala Prohibition of Charging Exorbitant Interest Act, 2012.
Nitin had availed of a loan of â‚ą15,000 on January 4, 2026 through the app at an alleged exorbitant interest rate of 36%.
The FIR states that on April 9, agents of the app repeatedly contacted and threatened him.
The police said the case was registered based on the findings that the student was allegedly coerced and mentally tortured by the loan recovery agents.
Nithin Raj, first-year a BDS student, was found dead in what is suspected to be a case of suicide.
Fellow students have alleged that prolonged harassment by a faculty member, Dr. M K Ram, Head of Dental Anatomy department, led to his suicide.
Amid mounting pressure, the college management has terminated Dr. Ram from service following protests and complaints by students.
Meanwhile, the Health University’s investigation committee will visit the college and record statements of students and faculty member
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