A 26-year-old cadet of the Indian Naval Academy (INA) at Ezhimala here died on Thursday after he allegedly sustained serious injuries following a fall from a building on the campus. The family of the deceased alleged foul play in the circumstances that led to his death.
The deceased has been identified as Gudeppa Sooraj, son of Gudeppa Ramana, from Tirur in Malappuram district. The cadet of the first term of the four-year Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC) died at Pariyaram Medical College Hospital (PMHC) at 2.30 a.m. on Thursday.
The INA, in a press release, said the cadet had been found in an unconscious and unresponsive condition on the floor of the academic wing by a duty sailor instructor at 5.30 p.m. on Wednesday. He was immediately rushed to the INA Navjivani Hospital on the academy campus and from there he was shifted to the PMCH.
The cadet suffered two episodes of cardiac arrest at the PMCH. The Southern Naval Command has ordered an inquiry into the incident.
Sooraj’s family alleged that he had been facing harassment ever since he was readmitted to the INAC in January after a two-year legal battle against the Naval authorities following his dismissal alleging malpractice in examination.
“Sooraj had been under pressure from the INA authorities and was not being allowed to study,” his brother Sunoj Gudeppa said. Talking to The Hindu over the phone, Mr. Sunoj said his brother was harassed with the motive of ensuring that he failed in the examination. Mr. Sunoj’s statement was recorded by the Payyannur police.
According to the family, Sooraj had joined the Navy as a sailor in 2010 and in 2014 he began pursuing INAC to be a commissioned officer after clearing selection board eligibility tests.
He was dismissed from the INA in 2015 alleging malpractice in mathematics examination. Sooraj then approached the Armed Services Tribunal, Chennai Bench, to get the dismissal withdrawn.
INA charge
INA spokesperson said that Sooraj was found with fatal injuries after he was again caught cheating during the terminal exam on May 17.
