Kochi | The Kerala High Court on Tuesday directed the state government to deposit Rs 7 lakh ordered by the State Human Rights Commission as compensation to the family of a student who died as a result of alleged ragging, in the court registry.

The direction was issued in response to a state government plea challenging the Rs 7 lakh compensation recommended by the Commission in connection with the death of Sidharthan J S, a student of Pookode Veterinary College.

The court ordered that the amount be deposited within 10 days.

It also questioned the delay in filing the petition against the Commission's order and instructed the government to submit a detailed affidavit explaining the reasons for the delay.

The Human Rights Commission had earlier directed the state government to pay Rs 7 lakh as compensation to Sidharthan's family.

Sidharthan, a 20-year-old veterinary student, was found hanging inside the bathroom of the college hostel in Kerala's Wayanad district in February last year, police had said.

He was allegedly subjected to ragging by fellow students, including activists of the CPI(M)'s students' wing, SFI, police had said.