HCU hunger strike: other students to replace those taken away

After seven students of the Hyderabad Central University (HCU), who were on a hunger strike, were taken to the hospital, another set of seven students would be taking their place and continue the agitation from tonight. "Our prime demand is that the culprits (named in the FIR in Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula's suicide case) should be brought to the book. So we have decided to continue our hunger strike despite removal of the earlier batch," K P Zuhail, president of HCU Student Union, said here. The Joint Action Committee for Social Justice which is heading the agitation had decided to give 'Chalo HCU' (march to HCU) call on January 25, and students from various universities across the country, intellectuals, journalists and members of various social groups would take part in the program, he said. Earlier in the evening seven students who were on hunger strike for the past four days following Rohith's alleged suicide were forcibly taken away to the varsity's health centre as their health deteriorated. Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya, Hyderabad University Vice Chancellor Prof Appa Rao Podile, BJP MLC Ramachandra Rao and students Susheel Kumar and Rama Krishna have been named in the FIR (on the charge of abetment of suicide) following Vemula's death. Vemula was among the five research scholars suspended by HCU in September last year and also one of the accused in the case of assault on ABVP leader Susheel Kumar.