Hyderabad: Radhika Vemula, the mother of the deceased PhD scholar Rohith Vemula, convened with Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Saturday, May 4, to address concerns regarding the closure report issued by the Telangana Police pertaining to her son’s suicide.
According to statements from the Congress party, Revanth has pledged to initiate an inquiry into the case and has provided assurances of a fair pursuit of justice.
Legal Challenge by Family In response to the Telangana Police’s closure report concerning the 2016 suicide of University of Hyderabad student Rohith Vemula, his family has announced their intention to contest it through legal means.
His brother, Raja Vemula, has asserted that the determination of the family’s Scheduled Caste (SC) status lies within the purview of the district collector. This assertion prompted the police to acknowledge the necessity of further investigation.
The Telangana Police’s closure report on Rohith Vemula’s demise asserts that he was not a Dalit and implies that his suicide stemmed from apprehensions about the revelation of his “real caste” in 2016.
Addressing the concerns raised by Rohith Vemula’s family, Telangana Director General of Police Ravi Gupta issued a statement late on Friday, indicating the intention to file a petition in the appropriate court, seeking permission for additional investigative measures.
Raja Vemula has informed news outlets of the Telangana High Court’s suggestion to file a ‘protest petition’ in the lower court.
Asserting that the determination of Rohith Vemula’s Scheduled Caste (SC) status falls under the jurisdiction of the Guntur district collector in Andhra Pradesh, Raja Vemula has questioned the basis upon which the police have refuted his SC identity.
Additionally, Raja Vemula has disclosed plans to discuss the matter with Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.
Meanwhile, Police Chief Gupta has clarified that the investigation into the case was overseen by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Madhapur, and that the final closure report was compiled prior to November, based on the findings of the investigation.
The finalized closure report was officially submitted to the jurisdictional court on March 21 by the investigating officer, Gupta confirmed in his statement.
In its closure report, the police have absolved the accused parties of any wrongdoing, citing insufficient evidence.
Among the accused individuals, the university’s former vice-chancellor Appa Rao Podile, former BJP MP Bandaru Dattatreya, BJP ex-MLC N Ramachander Rao, and certain ABVP leaders were mentioned.
