Hyderabad: Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya, Hyderabad Central University vice-chancellor Appa Rao and two others have been booked in connection with the suicide of a PhD Student Rohit Vemula in Hyderabad Central University in Hyderabad.
They have been booked for abetment of suicide by the Gachibowli police in the Hyderabad.
“A case has been booked against four accused and investigation is on,” Madhapur Assistant Commissioner of Police Ramana Kumar said.
Earlier, Bandaru Dattatreya had written to Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani alleging that Hyderabad University had become “a den of casteist, extremist and anti-national politics.” He also alleged that the university administration had turned into “a mute spectator to such events.”
Union Minister, VC booked over Dalit student suicide in Hyderabad
Text of suicide note penned by Hyderabad Dalit PhD student
Dalit student of Hyderabad University commits suicide
Rohit committed suicide after writing a letter which revealed that he was pained as the university authorities took disciplinary action following a letter written by Central Minister Dattatreya to the Union HRD minister Smiriti Irani.
Dattatreya today issued a clarification saying the death of the scholar had nothing to do with the letter he had written to Irani.
26-year old Dalit research scholar committed suicide in Hyderabad Central University campus on Sunday evening. Rohit Vemula, who was suspended from his hostel by the HCU administration in December last week, hanged himself to death leaving a suicide note stating that he was depressed with his life.According to reports, a group of students gathered and held demonstration along with Rohit’s body and raised slogans. A police team arrived at the campus and and took away the body on Monday morning.
A native of Guntur, Rohit was pursuing his PhD in School of life sciences with a CSIR fellowship. Rohit, who was present at the ongoing agitation at the campus administrative block, left the place in the afternoon stating that he wanted to finish some academic work.
Rohit went to his friend’s room in NRS hostel and did not return to the administration block till evening. Meanwhile, his friends got a call from his mother, who asked them to search for him, sources from HCU said.
“His friends went searching for him and found the room was locked from inside. They called him several times, and then broke open the door. They found him hanging from the ceiling,” said an HCU student and an eyewitness.
Text of the suicide letter penned by Hyderabad PhD student
I feel a growing gap between my soul and my body. And I have become a monster. 26-year old Dalit research scholar Rohit Vemula committed suicide in HCU campus.
Hyderabad: The 26-year old Dalit research scholar who committed suicide in Hyderabad Central University campus wrote a moving note explaining why decided to take the extreme step.
Rohit Vemula, who was suspended from his hostel by the HCU administration in December last week, in his suicide note talked about his disillusionment with life.
Here is the full text of his suicide note:
“I would not be around when you read this letter. Don’t get angry on me. I know some of you truly cared for me, loved me and treated me very well. I have no complaints on anyone. It was always with myself I had problems. I feel a growing gap between my soul and my body. And I have become a monster. I always wanted to be a writer. A writer of science, like Carl Sagan. At last, this is the only letter I am getting to write.
I loved Science, Stars, Nature, but then I loved people without knowing that people have long since divorced from nature. Our feelings are second handed. Our love is constructed. Our beliefs colored. Our originality valid through artificial art. It has become truly difficult to love without getting hurt.
The value of a man was reduced to his immediate identity and nearest possibility. To a vote. To a number. To a thing. Never was a man treated as a mind. As a glorious thing made up of star dust. In very field, in studies, in streets, in politics, and in dying and living.
I am writing this kind of letter for the first time. My first time of a final letter. Forgive me if I fail to make sense.
May be I was wrong, all the while, in understanding world. In understanding love, pain, life, death. There was no urgency. But I always was rushing. Desperate to start a life. All the while, some people, for them, life itself is curse. My birth is my fatal accident. I can never recover from my childhood loneliness. The unappreciated child from my past.
I am not hurt at this moment. I am not sad. I am just empty. Unconcerned about myself. That’s pathetic. And that’s why I am doing this.
People may dub me as a coward. And selfish, or stupid once I am gone. I am not bothered about what I am called. I don’t believe in after-death stories, ghosts, or spirits. If there is anything at all I believe, I believe that I can travel to the stars. And know about the other worlds.
If you, who is reading this letter can do anything for me, I have to get 7 months of my fellowship, one lakh and seventy five thousand rupees. Please see to it that my family is paid that. I have to give some 40 thousand to Ramji. He never asked them back. But please pay that to him from that.
Let my funeral be silent and smooth. Behave like I just appeared and gone. Do not shed tears for me. Know that I am happy dead than being alive.
‘From shadows to the stars.’ Uma anna, sorry for using your room for this thing.
To ASA [Ambedkar Students Association] family, sorry for disappointing all of you. You loved me very much. I wish all the very best for the future.
For one last time,
Jai Bheem
I forgot to write the formalities. No one is responsible for my this act of killing myself. No one has instigated me, whether by their acts or by their words to this act.
This is my decision and I am the only one responsible for this. Do not trouble my friends and enemies on this after I am gone.”