Published On : Tue, Mar 22nd, 2016

Rohith suicide: HCU students ransack VC’s office, protest his return to work

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student_protest_hybad_3Hyderabad/Nagpur: Students of Hyderabad Central University demanding justice for Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula ransacked the office and residence of vice chancellor Appa Rao to protest his return to work.

Glass panes were smashed, shelves were pulled down and other articles damaged with protesting students saying his return to work hurt their sentiments.

Scores of students gathered outside the VC’s office and residence shouting slogans even as police threw a protective cordon.

Apparao was in the eye of the controversy with students of the university demanding his resignation. Apparao was under fire for his handling of the Vemula’s suicide. Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula had committed suicide in January.

26-year-old Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula who hanged himself in Hyderabad Central University campus in January, was suspended from his hostel by the HCU administration in August 2015 for allegedly attacking an ABVP leader.

In August 2015, Bandaru Dattatreya had written to Smriti Irani alleging that Hyderabad University had become ‘a den of casteist, extremist and anti-national politics.’ He cited the attack on 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.