Hyderabad scholar commits suicide after expulsion from university

One of the five dalit scholars who were expelled from the University of Hyderabad hostel 12 days ago hanged himself to death on Monday.

25-year-old Rohith Vemula, who belonged to Guntur district of Amravati, was doing his PhD in science technology and society studies for the past two years, before the scholar allegedly got involved in a tiff between two student groups in August last year.

The five researchers were supported by 10 other students' outfits on campus including ASA, Students Federation of India, Dalit Students Union and National Students Association among others. On Sunday, the students from each of the outfits had started relay hunger strike asking the university administration to take back the students all of whom hailed from backward socio-economic backgrounds.

The students protested against Union Cabinet Minister of State for Labour and Employment Bandaru Dattatreya, and HRD minister Smiriti Irani.

The students demanded the revoking of the suspension of the five Dalit research scholars and also demanded the apology of Dattatreya for interfering in University matters and branding students of University of Hyderabad as casteists, anti-nationals and extremists.