PhD scholar’s death: Students protest, demand removal of VC
Hundreds of students belonging to the National Students Union of India (NSUI) staged a protest against the administration of Central University of Rajasthan on Monday and submitted a memorandum to the district collector demanding removal of its vice chancellor and the research guide for abetting suicide of a PhD scholar.
Hundreds of students belonging to the National Students Union of India (NSUI) staged a protest against the administration of Central University of Rajasthan (CURAJ) on Monday and submitted a memorandum to the district collector demanding removal of its vice chancellor (VC) and the research guide for abetting suicide of a PhD scholar.
“We warn the government to act within five days or get ready to face the students’ wrath. We have learnt from our sources in the university that the administration is trying to hush up the case,” said Diyavendra Singh Jadon, NSUI president, Ajmer.
Mohit Kumar Chauhan, a PhD scholar of the university, hanged himself in his hostel room on Friday allegedly after being harassed by assistant professor Viddyutama Jain under whom he was doing his course. An FIR was registered on Saturday against Jain, head of mathematics department DC Sharma and dean (research) Aditya K Gupta after Mohit’s father submitted a complaint against the three accused.
The demonstrators held a candlelight march on Monday and submitted a four-point demand before vice chancellor RK Pujari. “We have asked the vice chancellor to suspend Jain and Sharma from departmental works till inquiry is over. A compensation of Rs 10 lakh to Mohit’s family, a permanent job to Mohit’s brother and establishment of a grievance redressal cell for students in the university are the other demands. The VC has sought a week’s time to meet the demands,” said Sandeep Kumar, a PhD scholar in Cultural and Media Science.
NSUI activists in Udaipur called slogans against the government outside the district collectorate on Monday and burnt an effigy of education minister Smriti Irani.
NSUI vice president Deepak Mewara accused the CURAJ vice chancellor and Irani for the suicide of the scholar and demanded Prime minister Narendra Modi to look into the matter and remove inefficient ministers allegedly held responsible for the death.