Hyderabad University Protests Amid Committee Investigation into Harassment and Deaths

New Delhi: On December 11, Vinod Kumar, an office employee in the Hindi department at the University of Hyderabad, tragically passed away while on duty, reportedly due to harassment and pressure from his superiors. Just days later, on December 14, Kichala Praveen, a sanitation worker, took his own life allegedly due to workplace harassment and pressure. The consecutive deaths prompted the staff and student body of Hyderabad University to initiate protests, now spanning six days.

The university issued a notification on Wednesday, announcing the formation of a four-member team to investigate the allegations surrounding the deaths of the two employees. The team is expected to submit its report by 1 pm on December 26.

It is worth noting that Alok Pandey, the department head accused of harassing his subordinate employee, was previously involved in the suspension and eviction of Rohit Vemula. The student organization is demanding action against Alok Pandey, who is a key figure in this case. However, as of now, there has been no action taken against any of the accused, according to a student at Hyderabad University.

Background of the Incident

Vinod Kumar, an employee in the Hindi department, hailing from a Christian background, is believed to have succumbed to a heart attack exacerbated by delayed medical attention. On the other hand, Kichala Praveen, a Dalit sanitation worker at Lake View Guest House, reportedly took his own life by consuming pesticide. Allegedly, both employees had been distressed due to prolonged harassment from their supervisors. The collective demand from students, the student union, and Hindi department employees is for the university administration to dismiss the supervisors involved and provide appropriate compensation to the bereaved families.

On December 15, a significant number of employees and students met with the Registrar to report these incidents. Around 6 pm, students also staged protests in the administrative building. Sources suggest that Vinod Kumar had been troubled since the appointment of the new head of the Hindi department a month ago. It is claimed that Vinod Kumar, overwhelmed by excessive workload, reprimands, disrespectful behavior, and abusive language from department head Alok Pandey, had applied for a transfer within a month. The insensitivity displayed by Alok Pandey towards his subordinate was so profound that, on the day of the incident, even when Vinod Kumar showed symptoms of a heart attack, the department head failed to take necessary steps in a timely manner.

In the second incident, sanitation worker Kichala Praveen had allegedly been facing prolonged harassment from his supervisor Basanti Mallesh. It is claimed that Mallesh did not provide necessary equipment, such as gloves, to the workers for cleaning and imposed additional work on them. Any attempt by workers to complain reportedly resulted in threats of termination by Basanti Mallesh.