HCU: Body of Dalit researcher sent for autopsy amid protests

The body of V Rohit, a Dalit PhD scholar who was found hanging at the Central University's hostel room in the campus yesterday, was sent for post mortem amid protests from fellow students this morning. According to Cyberabad Police Commissioner CV Anand, the situation is now "fine" on the campus. Mild tension prevailed on the campus after scores of students gathered and held demonstration along with Rohit's body and raised slogans last night. The students demanded police register a case under SC/ST Atrocity Act against Union minister and BJP leader Bandaru Dattatreya while alleging that he had written to the HRD ministry seeking action against these research scholars. "The body has been sent for post mortem. Though no untoward incident has been reported on the campus, we see some tension-like situation here," a police official said. Rohit was among the five research scholars who were suspended by Hyderabad Central University (HCU) in August last year and also one of the accused in the case of assault on a student leader, Anand had said. The suspension was revoked later. Further investigation in the case is on. The five research scholars were suspended from the hostel for rest of their study period for allegedly attacking an ABVP leader. Meanwhile, some student unions have called for an educational institutions bandh today. Last week, a section of students had laid a siege to the Administrative Building of the HCU against the suspension of the research scholars. The students under the umbrella of a Joint Action Committee (JAC) had termed the suspension as "undemocratic" and as a "social boycott" since the five research scholars were denied access to hostels and were forced to sleep in a makeshift tent on the campus. Based on the recommendations of a sub-committee of the Executive Council, the five were denied access to hostels on the campus except their classrooms and workshops related to their subject of study. The council had recommended the punishment based on a Proctorial Committee inquiry.