Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy announced on Thursday that a comprehensive inquiry will be conducted into the circumstances surrounding the tragic demise of University of Hyderabad (UoH) PhD scholar Rohith Vemula, affirming the commitment to bring the perpetrators to justice.
“The closure report was issued back in 2019 and recently brought before the Court. Upon learning of this, we promptly reopened the case. The Crime Branch, Crime Investigation Department (CB-CID), is currently handling the investigation. We are committed to conducting a thorough inquiry and ensuring that those responsible are held accountable,” stated the Telangana CM in an interview with ANI.
Rohith Vemula’s passing, marked by suicide in January 2016, purportedly stemmed from distress over disciplinary measures taken against him by Hyderabad Central University during his PhD pursuit.
On May 4, Rohith Vemula’s family convened with the Telangana Chief Minister, presenting a formal request for the Congress-led state government to reassess the case.
Radhika Vemula, Rohith Vemula’s mother, expressed satisfaction with the Chief Minister’s assurance of a just inquiry, emphasizing the expectation of justice from the current administration.
Vemula Raja, Rohith Vemula’s brother, relayed that the Telangana Director General of Police had announced intentions to petition the High Court for a reinvestigation.
“In response to the Closure Report submission, the Telangana DGP has articulated plans for a fresh inquiry, with an anticipated filing of a petition in the High Court. We’ve engaged with the Chief Minister, who has pledged an impartial and transparent investigation to seek justice for Rohith Vemula. We remain optimistic that the Congress-led government will undertake a thorough review of the case,” remarked Vemula Raja.
Initial reports indicated that the Telangana Police had closed the case, citing Rohith Vemula’s non-SC status and suicide. The closure report was filed by the investigating officer on March 21.
However, the Telangana Director General of Police has subsequently opted to initiate further investigations into the events leading to Rohith Vemula’s demise in January 2016, a decision made following the submission of the closure report.
Rohith Vemula, a promising PhD scholar at Hyderabad Central University, was discovered deceased in his hostel room on January 17, 2016, purportedly driven to despair by university disciplinary actions.
