'Rohith Vemula Wasn't Dalit': Telangana Police Files Closure Report, Triggers Protest
In its report, police claimed that Rohith was not a Dalit and died by suicide as he feared that his 'real identity' would be discovered.
Rohith Vemula Case: The Telangana Police has filed a closure report before a local court in Hyderabad in its investigation into the death of Rohith Vemula, a student of the University of Hyderabad. In its report, police claimed he was not a Dalit and died by suicide as he feared that his "real identity" would be discovered. The closure report triggered angry reactions among students of the University of Hyderabad (UoH).
According to news agency PTI, the Cyberabad police that probed the case informed the court that Vemula did not belong to the Scheduled Caste and that he was aware of it. He died by suicide in 2016. "The deceased had multiple issues worrying him, which could have driven him to commit suicide," the report said.
"In addition to this, the deceased himself was aware that he did not belong to the Scheduled Caste and that his mother got him a SC certificate. This could be one of the constant fears, as the exposure of the same would result in a loss of his academic degrees that he earned over the years and be compelled to face prosecution," the report said, as quoted by PTI. Further, the report said, "Despite best efforts, no evidence could be found to establish that the actions of the accused have driven the deceased to commit suicide."
After the closure report was filed, police absolved the accused of all charges, as per an Indian Express report. The accused in the case included then Secunderabad MP Bandaru Dattatreya, MLC N Ramchender Rao, and Union Minister Smriti Irani—all BJP leaders—as well as then University of Hyderabad Vice Chancellor P Appa Rao, the IE report said.
However, Telangana DGP Ravi Gupta said that a decision has been taken to conduct further investigation into the case in view of the doubts expressed by the mother and others of the deceased Rohith Vemula on the probe, as reported by PTI. A petition will be filed in the court concerned, requesting the Magistrate to permit further investigation into the case, he said in a statement.
The 60-page closure report filed by the Telangana Police in the case drew flak from students of the University of Hyderabad (UoH). Students participated in a protest march from the quadrangle on campus to the main gate on Friday evening.
#WATCH | Hyderabad, Telangana: The Hyderabad Central Univerity Student Union holds a protest against Telangana Police's reports on the Rohith Vemula death case. pic.twitter.com/8U9z98nMy7
— ANI (@ANI) May 3, 2024
The students raised slogans and demanded justice for Vemula. They said that they now have the option of approaching the lower courts for a protest petition.
On Telangana Police giving clean chit to all the accused persons in the case, Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge says, "I have not read the judgement, get it for me. Let me read it."
#WATCH | Ahmedabad, Gujarat: On Telangana Police giving clean chit to all the accused persons in Rohith Vemula death case, Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge says, "I have not read the judgement, get it for me. Let me read it."
— ANI (@ANI) May 3, 2024
On BJP's '400 paar' claim, he says,… pic.twitter.com/V5r7EKj4c9
BJP leader Ajay Alok says, "Rohith Vemula's suicide was shocking for us as we were in the central government. We are sensitive. It is not about whether Rohith Vemula was a Dalit or not, but it is about why a youth committed suicide. As the central government, we were sensitive then, and we are sensitive now. The question should be asked to those who interrupted the parliamentary sessions for 1.5 months at that time... They do politics on the death of a young man. No one (in the opposition) was concerned about the situations in which Rohith committed suicide and what steps the central government was taking to avoid such situations... 'Ye Mohabbat ke Dukaan mein sirf Nafrat bech rahe hain'."
#WATCH | Delhi: On Telangana Police giving clean chit to all the accused persons in Rohith Vemula death case, BJP leader Ajay Alok says, "Rohith Vemula's suicide was shocking for us as we were in the central government. We are sensitive. It is not about whether Rohith Vemula was… pic.twitter.com/tC6AEzHDeK
— ANI (@ANI) May 3, 2024
The Investigation Officer in the case was Assistant Commissioner of Police, Madhapur and the final closure report in the case was prepared last year, before November 2023 itself based on the investigation conducted, PTI reported. The final closure report was officially filed in the jurisdictional court on March 21 by the Investigation Officer.
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