Dalit research scholar attempts suicide; blames HoD, dean of Gorakhpur varsity in Facebook video post

A 25-year-old research scholar of in Gorakhpur recorded a video and left a note accusing two university teachers of harassing him over his Dalit caste and pushing him to suicide before he took poison Thursday afternoon, police said.

A few other Dalit students of the university who live in the same building in rented accommodation, rushed to Deepak Kumar’s aid and admitted him to Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College late afternoon and lodged a complaint with the police against the head of department and dean of arts faculty of the Deen Dayal Upadhaya university , a police officer said.

The two professors have refuted the allegations.

The scholar is now recovering, doctors said.

Deepak Kumar shot a three-minute video and posted it on Facebook before his suicide attempt. In the video, which was widely shared, Deepak accused his HoD Prof Dwarika Nath Srivastava and dean Chandra Prakash Srivastava of harassment and held them responsible for forcing him to end his life. He also accused vice-chancellor VK Singh of not acting against the dean and the HoD even though he had lodged a complaint on September 6.

“Our son was in distress for the last few days,” his father Jagdish Kumar said.

Chief Minister Adityanath’s office has ordered a probe into the incident. Police have found a two-page suicide note but no FIR has been lodged.

‘The Chief Minister’s Office has sought detailed report from the administration and directed action after conducting an impartial probe,” District Magistrate Vijyendra Pandian told HT.

Station house officer, Cantonment, Ravi Kumar Rai said: “We have received some documents from the university. We have not seen it as yet as we are busy in security for Muharram procession. No complaint has been received so far from the kin of the scholar.”

In the video, Deepak is heard as saying: “I am facing caste discrimination for the last three months. Casteist remarks like ‘you have got admission through quota and you belong to a lower caste’ are made against me. I am tired of this. I am under depression for the last three months. I have lost interest in eating and my future looks dark. I am left with no option but to end my life.”

“I complained to the VC on September 6 but no action was taken. On September 18, I was attacked by some goons who threatened me to withdraw my complaint,” he alleged in the video.

The University has denied Deepak’s claims that his grievances were not addressed. Public relations officer, DDU, Dr Harsh Kumar Sinha said: “The DDU VC has set up a three-member committee headed by Pro-VC SK Dixit to probe the matter. The accused HoD has been removed pending inquiry.”

Earlier, the VC had sought a written clarification from the accused professors who submitted their reply to him.

Dean, arts faculty, Prof CP Srivastava rejected charges against him and said in his 38-year-long academic career he has never harmed any student.

Both the accused professors blamed Deepak’s research guide Dr DN Yadav is using him to implicate them. Dr Yadav said he was not aware of the research scholar’s suicide attempt and allegations made by the dean and the HoD against him.

First Published: Sep 21, 2018 10:28 IST