The backlash following the closure report into the death of University of Hyderabad PhD scholar Rohith Vemula by the Telangana police forced the state government to reopen the case for further investigation.
The public pressure and outrage over the recent closure report filed by the Telangana police centred on the offensive language and controversial findings that led to Vemula’s suicide in January 2016.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy convened a closed-door meeting with key stakeholders, including Rohith's mother Radhika Vemula, his brother Raja Vemula, as well as student leaders and teachers who were involved in the 2016 'Justice for Rohith Vemula' campaign.
This meeting, scheduled for Saturday, May 4, aims to address the concerns raised by Rohith's family and supporters regarding the closure report.
The decision to reopen the case comes after the Telangana police filed a closure report at the high court on Friday, sparking widespread public outrage. The report, which absolved several prominent figures including Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani, former Secunderabad MP Bandaru Dattatreya, and Vice Chancellor Appa Rao, has been met with scepticism from Rohith's family and supporters.
One of the most controversial aspects of the closure report is its claim that Rohith did not belong to the Scheduled Caste category and suggested that he died by suicide out of fear that his caste identity would be discovered. This assertion has been vehemently rejected by Rohith's family, who maintain that he was indeed a member of the Dalit Mala community.
Furthermore, the report alleges that the caste certificates of the family were forged, without providing any evidence to support this claim. This has raised serious questions about the credibility of the police investigation and has fuelled suspicions of a cover-up.
Rohith's brother, Raja, has been vocal in his criticism of the closure report, labelling the police claims as "wrong" and emphasizing that a police officer cannot determine a person's caste. The family's assertion that Rohith's mother was adopted by a woman from an OBC community adds another layer of complexity to the case.
The timing of the closure report, just 10 days before the state votes in the Lok Sabha polls on May 13, has also raised eyebrows. Critics have pointed out that it comes four months after the Congress government came into power in Telangana, leading to speculation about the political motives behind the report.
In response to the public outcry, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has announced that a petition will be filed in the court requesting permission for further investigation into the case. This move has been welcomed by Rohith's family and supporters, who hope that it will lead to a more thorough and impartial examination of the circumstances surrounding his death.