Student body demands Hyderabad varsity VC's arrest

The Progressive Democratic Students Union (PDSU) on Saturday staged a protest outside Hyderabad Central University demanding arrest of Vice Chancellor P. Appa Rao.

Tension prevailed as the activists staged a sit-in at the main gate and raised slogans against the vice chancellor and the central government.

As the campus remained closed for 'outsiders', the security personnel stopped protesters at the main gate.

Blaming Appa Rao for the suicide of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula in January and the arrests of students and faculty members, the protestors demanded his immediate arrest.

The PDSU activists also demanded immediate release of students and faculty members. They raised slogans demanding justice for Dalits.

The HCU campus on March 22 witnessed violent protest following return of Appa Rao as vice chancellor. He had gone on leave in January after he was named in First Information Report (FIR) relating to Rohith's suicide.

The students ransacked vice chancellor's bungalow. Later, the police used force to disperse the protestors, arrested 24 students and two faculty members.

In an attempt to quell the protest, the university authorities on March 23 closed the mess, cut drinking water supply and other amenities.

Joint Action Committee for Social Justice, an umbrella group of 14 students' organisations, has alleged that the students and faculty members were beaten up in police custody.

Taking suo motu cognizance of media reports that there was "an emergency like situation" in the University of Hyderabad, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday issued notices to the human resources development ministry, Telangana government and Hyderabad police commissioner.