Nobody held guilty for Vemula’s death

NEW DELHI: A panel appointed to investigate the suicide of Rohith Vemula, a research scholar at the University of Hyderabad, has not implicated anybody in its report to the human resources ministry.

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“The report points out that nobody drove him to commit suicide. It was an unfortunate incident, and the ministry will now study the recommendations to ensure that it’s not repeated,” said a source.

The one-man panel of Allahabad high court former judge Ashok Kumar Roopanwal also recommended ways to improve the existing grievances redressal system at the university. Topping the list of recommendations were the setting up of an “appeal mechanism” that can be used by troubled students, and a counselling centre capable of providing immediate help.

Citing Vemula’s lack of options to register an appeal after being removed from the campus, the report said: “The system of appeal will ensure that students’ rights are maintained.”

The panel also suggested the appointment of approachable academic counsellors, and the establishment of a grievance redressal cell for socially unprivileged students.

Vemula had committed suicide in January after the university management punished him for allegedly assaulting an ABVP leader.