Telangana Police Close Rohith Vemula Suicide Case, Report Says He 'Was Not A Dalit' | 10 Points

In the suicide case of Rohith Vemula, a research scholar at the University of Hyderabad, the Cyberabad police have filed a closure report, acquitting university officials as well as BJP and ABVP leaders and stating that Vemula was not a Dalit. The police concluded that there was insufficient evidence to prove that the accused individuals' actions were the reason behind his extreme actions, despite his statement that a number of issues would have motivated him to take his own life.

Closure Report On Rohith Vemula’s Case Explained In 10 Points:

1. The closure report was filed with the court on March 21 by the police, citing "lack of evidence," but it has since come to light. Vemula's suicide in his hostel room on January 17, 2016, sparked widespread unrest on the central university campus, sparked massive protests at other universities, and raised concerns about the treatment of students from underserved communities.
2. The Gachibowli police station of the Cyberabad Police Commissionerate filed a case under Section 306 (Abetment to Suicide) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant sections of the Prevention of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) Atrocities Act. Dontha Prashanth, a research scholar and Ambedkar Students' Association (ASA) leader, filed the complaint that led to the case's registration.
3. The First Information Report (FIR) names University Vice Chancellor Prof. Appa Rao Podile, BJP Legislative Council member N. Ramachandra Rao, and ABVP activist Susheel Kumar.
4. Susheel Kumar had reported an assault by activists from the ASA), of which Vemula was a member, in 2015. That resulted in the suspension of five Dalit scholars, including Vemula.
5. The ASA leaders claimed that then-Secunderabad MP and Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya influenced then-Union Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani to take action against Dalit students at the University of Hyderabad. More than eight years after the incident, the police have absolved former Vice Chancellor Appa Rao, Dattatreya, Ramachandra Rao and ABVP activists.
6. The police ruled out Vemula being a Scheduled Caste. The closure report stated that the 'caste clarification report' by the District Level Scrutiny Committee, Guntur, concluded that Vemula and his family belong to the BC-A (Vaddera) caste but obtained SC certificates fraudulently. According to the report, one of his constant fears is that if this is revealed, he will lose his academic degrees and be forced to stand trial. The police noted that Vemula had a number of issues that could have led him to commit suicide.
7. The police investigations covered a variety of topics, including Rohith Vemula's letters to the Vice Chancellor, the suicide note, the records and discrepancies related to his scholarship disbursement, and the University Board's recommendations and disciplinary action. The police also relied on the investigation and findings in the report of the Commission led by Justice Ashok Kumar Roopanwala (retd), which deliberated "whether the punishment awarded to Rohith Vemula was the circumstance to commit suicide?"
8. Police said there was no evidence to suggest that the accused's actions drove Vemula to commit suicide. The police investigations covered a variety of topics, including Rohith Vemula's letters to the Vice Chancellor, the suicide note, the records and discrepancies related to his scholarship disbursement, and the University Board's recommendations and disciplinary action.
9. The police also relied on the investigation and findings in the report of the Commission led by Justice Ashok Kumar Roopanwala (retd), which deliberated "whether the punishment awarded to Rohith Vemula was the circumstance to commit suicide?" Police said there was no evidence to suggest that the accused's actions drove Vemula to commit suicide.
10. The police investigations covered a variety of topics, including Rohith Vemula's letters to the Vice Chancellor, the suicide note, the records and discrepancies related to his scholarship disbursement, and the University Board's recommendations and disciplinary action. The police also relied on the investigation and findings in the report of the Commission led by Justice Ashok Kumar Roopanwala (retd), which deliberated "whether the punishment awarded to Rohith Vemula was the circumstance to commit suicide?" Police said there was no evidence to suggest that the accused's actions drove Vemula to commit suicide.