Thiruvananthapuram | The father of the dental college student Nithin Raj, who died in an alleged suicide, on Thursday said that while he had supported the hartal organised by various Dalit organisations, he did not agree with the violence carried out as part of it.

The student's father told a TV channel that the Dalit organisations wanted to hold the hartal to ensure justice for his son.

"But I told them that there should be no violence or any other untoward act in connection with that. I also did not ask for Rs 10 crore compensation. I lost my son. What will I do with that money? I don't need it. People should come to the streets to ensure justice for him. That should be the priority," he said.

He also said that all those responsible for his son's death should be punished in accordance with the law.

"That is what I want. I want all political organisations to stand with us to ensure justice for my son. Beyond that, I have not asked for anything," he said.

On April 28, a statewide hartal called by various Dalit organisations, seeking justice for Raj, had affected normal life in Kerala.

Incidents of hartal supporters forcing shops to shut and blocking vehicles were also reported from several places in the state during the 6 am to 6 pm protest.

Raj, a first-year BDS student at a private dental college in Ancharakandy in Kannur district, was found critically injured after falling from a building on 10 April and later succumbed to his injuries.

Police have registered a case against two faculty members on charges of abetment of suicide and under the provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, following allegations by the student's family that he was subjected to caste- and complexion-based harassment.

The family has firmly alleged that caste discrimination and mental harassment by faculty members led to the student's death and that the police were attempting to divert the investigation towards loan app borrowings.