Stephan Kayyar
Daijiworld Media Network - Kasargod (EP)
Kasargod, Feb 28: Srikantapura police on Friday February 27 arrested Kannur Srikantapura MLA Mathew James of CPI (M) in connection with the suicide of Taliparamba private school principal E P Shashidharan in a lodge.
Mathew was arrested after he surrendered before the police. A case of abetment to suicide is registered against him
The MLA is the second accused in the case. The first accused, a teacher of the school, M V Shaji, was arrested last week.
The incident had occurred on Decmeber 15, 2014. Shashidharan, who was the principal of Tagore Vidyaniketana school, Taliparamba, was found hanging in a lodge. He had left behind a note stating that he was committing suicide due to harassment by the MLA and the teacher.
It is said that some amount was sanctioned from the MLA's fund for the construction of a new building for the school. There were arguments with regard to the utilization of these funds and the MLA had allegedly threatened Shashidharan over the way the funds were being handled.
The death note had also stated that apart from suffering harassment at the hands of the above persons, the deceased principal also received threats from them. In view of this, investigation into these allegations was handed over to Srikantapura police station in Kannur district.