Dattatreya named in FIR over Dalit student's death

Union labour minister Bandaru Dattatreya and Hyderabad Central University vice-chancellor Appa Rao were on Monday named in a first information report (FIR) over the alleged suicide of a Dalit student. This triggered massive protests in New Delhi and Hyderabad with protesters demanding the removal not only of the two, but also Union human resource development minister Smriti Irani.

Activists alleged the student, Rohit Vemula, ended his life after he was discriminated against for being a Dalit, at the behest of Dattatreya. They said Dattatreya had written to Irani and sought action against Vemula and his associates for their “anti-national acts”.

Vemula was among five research scholars suspended by the varsity in August last year and one of the accused in an assault case on a student leader.  

Facing protests outside her office and residence in Delhi, Irani said she not make any comment and would await the report of a fact-finding committee. She said the government does not intervene in the functioning of the university.

“We have registered cases against them based on a complaint from some students. An FIR was registered under IPC section 306 (abetment of suicide) and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act,” said Gachibowli inspector J Ramesh Kumar.

Vemula’s body was found hanging in the varsity’s hostel room on the campus on Sunday and was sent for post-mortem on Monday amid protests by students.

However, dismissing the allegations against him over the alleged suicide, Dattatreya said he has nothing to do with the issue.

On Sunday night, a letter purportedly written by Vemula was found in the hostel room where he allegedly committed suicide, in which it was stated that he held nobody responsible for his death. “I am writing this kind of letter for the first time. My first time of a final letter.”