HCU suicide: Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya, V-C booked for abetment'

Hyderabad: Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya, Hyderabad Central University vice-chancellor Appa Rao and two others have been booked for ‘abetting’ the suicide last night of a Dalit research scholar who was banned from the university’s hostel.

26-year-old Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula who hanged himself in Hyderabad Central University campus on Sunday evening, was suspended from his hostel by the HCU administration in August last year for allegedly attacking an ABVP leader.

In August 2015, Bandaru Dattatreya had written to Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani alleging that Hyderabad University had become "a den of casteist, extremist and anti-national politics." He cited the attack on the ABVP leader and stated that the university administration had turned into "a mute spectator to such events."

Students of the university alleged that Dattatreya's letter sought action against research scholars including Vemula. They demanded that the police register a case under SC/ST Atrocity Act against Dattatreya.

Dattatreya in 2015 had urged Smriti Irani to look into the affairs of the university.

However, Dattatreya on Monday issued a clarification saying the death of the scholar had nothing to do with the letter he had written to Irani.

According to reports, a group of students gathered and held demonstration along with Rohith's body and raised slogans on Monday. A police team arrived at the campus and and took away the body on Monday morning.

Read: Tension boils over on University of Hyderabad campus

HRD ministry forms committee to look into scholar's suicide at HCU

A native of Guntur, Rohith was pursuing his PhD in School of life sciences with a CSIR fellowship. Rohith, who was present at the ongoing agitation at the campus administrative block, left the place in the afternoon stating that he wanted to finish some academic work.

Rohith went to his friend’s room in NRS hostel and did not return to the administration block till evening. Meanwhile, his friends got a call from his mother, who asked them to search for him, sources from HCU said.

“His friends went searching for him and found the room was locked from inside. They called him several times, and then broke open the door. They found him hanging from the ceiling,” said an HCU student and an eyewitness.

Rohit's suicide letter

Read: Full text of the suicide letter penned by Hyderabad scholar

Rohith had used the banner of the student political party, Ambedkar Student Association, to hang himself. He was a member of ASA for a last few years.

According to his friends, Rohith had called his mother and talked to her before he hanged himself. His mother felt suspicious as she found him highly depressed. It was not clear if Rohith told his mother that he would end his life. His mother tried to call him back and he was not reachable, after which she alerted his friends.

TRS MP and Telangana Chief Minister’s daughter Kavitha said, “We must not politicise this issue.”

She also added that she would urge Smriti Irani to revoke the suspension of other students.