The Andhra Pradesh Police has said it foiled a Maoist plot to kill Hyderabad Central University Vice-Chancellor Appa Rao Podile by arresting two former students of the university.
East Godavari district Superintendent of Police Vishal Gunni said the conspiracy was unravelled when police arrested the two students — Chandan Kumar Misra of West Bengal and A Prudhviraj of Krishna district — in
Andhra Pradesh during the routine search of vehicles at Pitchakulapadu junction on Bhadrachalam-Cherla Road on Friday.
He said the two had planned to kill the Vice-Chancellor at the behest of CPI (Maoist) State committee secretary Haribhushan to avenge the suicide of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula.
“The duo had met Haribhushan in December 2017 in Cherala forest,” the SP said while producing the duo before the media on Saturday. “They had discussed their plans to join the CPI (Maoist) and also the situation in the
HCU following the suicide by Rohith Vemula.”
Rohith had hanged himself in the University guest house on January 17, 2016, after he along with five other Dalit students were put under suspension by Vice-Chancellor Appa Rao Podile following a clash between the members of ABVP and Ambedkar Students Association.
“Their plan was to kill the Vice-Chancellor and attract the students to the Maoist organisation. They had planned to drop a letter claiming the responsibility of killing the V-C on behalf of the Maoists”, the SP said.
During the prolong agitation, Appa Rao had become the major target of the students’ ire who wanted him sacked for his alleged role in driving Rohit to suicide.
Meanwhile in Hyderabad Appa Rao said that he had not received any threat to his life from anybody. “I am not aware of any conspiracy and the police also did not inform me about any threat. Situation in the university is peaceful”.