Telangana Police Reopens Rohith Vemula Case Amid Family's Doubts
Telangana Police reopens Rohith Vemula's death case following family's concerns, stirring national attention and political controversy.
The Telangana Police have announced their decision to reopen the investigation into the death of Rohith Vemula following doubts raised by his family regarding the closure report. The report, issued a month ago, had cleared all the accused and suggested that Vemula was not a Dalit. It stated that Vemula's suicide case was driven by the fear of his "real caste" being exposed. This closure report had prompted scepticism from Vemula's family members, leading to the decision for a fresh investigation.
Rohith Vemula, a research scholar pursuing his PhD at Hyderabad Central University, was found dead in his hostel room on January 17, 2016. His tragic demise sent shockwaves across the nation and led to widespread protests, with many alleging caste discrimination and harassment by the university administration as contributing factors to his death.
The closure report was prepared by the Investigation Officer last year, prior to November 2023. The Telangana Director General of Police stated that due to doubts expressed by Vemula's mother and others, it has been decided to conduct further investigation into the case. The report will be submitted to the court, seeking permission for additional inquiry.
This development has brought the spotlight back on the circumstances surrounding Vemula's death, renewing calls for justice and accountability. Vemula's family has long maintained that his death was not just a case of suicide but a result of systemic discrimination and harassment faced by him at the university.
In the midst of this, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has seized the opportunity to criticise Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the Indian National Congress party, for his alleged politicisation of the issue. BJP leaders, including Ajay Alok and Amit Malviya, have accused Gandhi of exploiting Vemula's death for political gains. Malviya questioned whether Gandhi would apologise following the closure report's findings, which contradicted his earlier statements on the matter.