Rohith Vemula suicide: Rahul Gandhi to visit Hyderabad university

Students alleged that Vemula committed suicide because of discrimination and social boycott

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday will visit University of Hyderabad, where a Dalit research scholar committed suicide.

Rahul will land at Begumpet airport in the city by a special aircraft and reach the university by road. President of Telangana unit of the party Uttam Kumar Reddy said Rahul would meet the students.

Rohith Vemula, a P.hD. student, committed suicide by hanging himself in a hostel room on Sunday, triggering massive protests by students who alleged that he took the extreme step because of discrimination and social boycott.
 

 

Rohith and four other students were subjected to boycott by the authorities of the university, the students said.

The five students of Amebdkar Students Association (ASA) were suspended and later expelled from hostel following a clash with leaders of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

ASA alleged that the action was taken against them after Union Minister for Labour Bandaru Dattatreya wrote a letter to Union minister for Human Resources Development Smriti Irani.

The police on Monday booked a case against Dattatreya, Vice Chancellor Appa Rao and two BJP leaders for abetment of suicide and violation of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (prevention of atrocities) Act.

A two-member team will arrive in Hyderabad to probe the incident.