Published 22:56 IST, May 3rd 2024

Rohith Vemula Death Case: A Timeline

Telangana Police on Friday filed a closure report in the Rohith Vemula death case and gave a clean chit to all the accused.

Reported by: Isha Bhandari
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Rohith Vemula Death Case: A Timeline | Image: Republic
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New Delhi: The Telangana Police on Friday closed the Rohith Vemula death case, clearing all accused. The report attributes Vemula’s suicide to academic struggles amid campus politics and his mother's alleged fabrication of a Scheduled Caste certificate.

Everything you need to know about the Rohith Vemula death case 

Rohith Vemula, born on January 30, 1989, hailed from the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. As a member of the Ambedkar Students Association (ASA), he raised issues concerning marginalized communities on campus. In July 2015, the University of Hyderabad allegedly stopped paying Vemula his monthly stipend, leading to accusations of targeted discrimination due to his activism. However, the university official denied the allegation of non-payment of scholarship, citing the delay on “paperwork.”

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The situation escalated when BJP MP and Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya intervened, characterizing the university as a hotbed of "casteist, extremist, and anti-national politics." 

This intervention reportedly resulted in an inquiry against Vemula and four other ASA members, eventually leading to their suspension in September 2015.

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Facing financial strain and institutional ostracization, Vemula, along with his fellow suspended students, resorted to a hunger protest. However, on January 17, 2016, Vemula tragically took his own life, sparking nationwide outrage and protests. 

Vemula's death prompted allegations of state-sponsored discrimination and negligence. While some blamed Dattatreya's intervention for exacerbating the situation, others demanded a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Vemula's suicide. His father, Manikumar, vehemently contested the notion of suicide and called for a judicial inquiry.

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18:51 IST, May 3rd 2024