Rohith Vemula Case: Allegations Against Telangana Police - An Examination of the Facts Questioned in the Closure Report

Hyderabad- The Telangana Police made a significant announcement on Friday regarding the Dalit student Rohith Vemula's tragic suicide case. They declared their intent to delve deeper into his death, a decision spurred by concerns voiced by the deceased's mother and others regarding the closure report presented in court.

Shedding light on this development, the Telangana Director General of Police revealed plans to petition the court, seeking authorization from the magistrate for a thorough reinvestigation.

Previously, the Hyderabad Police had filed a closure report in the Telangana High Court, asserting the conclusion of their investigation. Within this report, the police asserted before the Telangana High Court that Rohith was aware of his non-Dalit status and had taken his own life out of apprehension over the disclosure of his caste identity.

Following the police's closure report, numerous questions have arisen in this case. The Ambedkar Students Association of Hyderabad alleges that the police investigation is flawed. Gopi Swamy of the association, speaking to The Mooknayak, raised concerns about the police investigation, suggesting that under the influence of the BJP-RSS, the police are diverting the investigation to protect the accused and accomplices who allegedly drove Rohit to suicide.

Swamy further stated, "In this case, the police are attempting to shield Smriti Irani and others."

Regarding the police investigation, the death of Dalit student Rohit Vemula by suicide in January 2016 sparked protests against discrimination against Dalits in universities, quickly evolving into a nationwide movement within a week.

During their investigation, the police uncovered Rohith Vemula's apprehension regarding the revelation of his caste identity, as he was not a member of the Scheduled Caste. They reported to the Telangana High Court that Rohit was aware his mother had procured a Scheduled Caste certificate for him.

According to the police inquiry, Rohith's mother had obtained the SC certificate for him, which potentially instilled fear in him as its exposure could jeopardize his academic credentials and subject him to legal consequences.

The report further indicated that despite exhaustive efforts, no evidence was found to support the claim that the accused had compelled Rohith to take his own life. Among those implicated were the then Vice-Chancellor of Hyderabad University, Appa Rao, and outgoing Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya.

The police's investigation has come under fire for allegedly diverting attention away from the truth. According to the guidelines governing the issuance of Scheduled Caste certificates, Rohith Vemula belonged to the SC category. The controversy surrounding the investigation intensified following the police's closure report, with accusations emerging that the police were attempting to manipulate the investigation to obscure the facts.

Speaking with The Mooknayak, Vijay Shankar Shravan, spokesperson of the Madhya Pradesh Scheduled Caste/Tribe Officer Employees Association and an expert on Scheduled Caste matters, emphasized that Scheduled Caste certificates are issued based on the caste of the individual's mother.

Consequently, Rohith Vemula unequivocally falls within the SC category. Shravan urged the police to clarify why their investigation deviated from this established criterion.

Police's U-turn!

Initially, the closure report submitted by Telangana Police to the court was considered final. However, when Rohith Vemula's family objected to the investigation, the police reversed course and stated that further investigation was required. The police issued a press release on the matter, stating that they would petition the court to extend the investigation period.

Rohith Vemula's Suicide

On January 17, 2016, Rohith Chakraborty Vemula, a 26-year-old Dalit student pursuing a PhD at Hyderabad Central University's hostel, committed suicide by hanging himself. Rohith was the leader of the Ambedkar Student Association, formed for Dalit students at the college. A dispute over ideological differences between the ABVP and the Ambedkar Student Association led to a fight. ABVP leader Sushil Kumar alleged that five students from the Ambedkar Student Association had assaulted him, leading to the matter reaching the courts.

Following this incident, local Hyderabad MP and Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya wrote a letter to Smriti Irani, urging immediate action. Subsequently, Smriti Irani wrote four letters to the university chancellor, demanding action against the five students. As a result of these letters, on December 17, 2015, in severe cold weather, all five students were suspended and evicted from the hostel.

Disturbed by the suspension, all five students, including Rohith, staged a sit-in on the university campus. However, on January 17, 2016, Rohith suddenly left the sit-in. When he did not return for an extended period, a search was conducted, and he was found hanging in his hostel room. Rohith's suicide note indicated that he was deeply distressed by the suspension, leading him to take his own life.