NCSC orders police to speed up investigation process in Rohith Vemula case

On 4 August, the Cyberabad Police was directed by the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) to expedite the investigation procedure related to the suicide of University of Hyderabad Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula, and to submit a report in the matter. This directive comes after speculations surrounding his Dalit status were settled.

The NCSC has said the Guntur Collector has declared there was "no rival claim questioning the validity" of the caste certificates issued to Rohith and his family. The commission also issued direction that Rohith is to be treated as Scheduled Caste, as he has been brought up as a member of the community, reported The Hindu.

As Rohith Vemula's family comes under the below-poverty-line, the NCSC has further recommended that the Guntur District Collector is to provide relief in the form of housing, as well as monetary aid.

Further, the district administration has been advised to make a payment of Rs 4.12 lakh to Rohith's mother as per the provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules 2016.

Rohith Vemula hung himself to death on 17 January, sparking nationwide protests against atrocities meted out to Dalit students on campus.