ABVP activist Nandanam Susheel Kumar, who was allegedly attacked by Dalit students
A BJP lawmaker who is among the three accused of aiding the suicide of Hyderabad research scholar Rohith Vemula, has added a new twist to the case that has snowballed into a major political row.
N Ramachander Rao revealed today that Nandanam Susheel Kumar, the youth leader who had accused Rohith and other Dalit students of beating him on August 3, did end up in hospital but two days later and for an appendicitis operation.
Asked whether the two-day gap meant that Susheel Kumar went to hospital mainly for appendicitis, Mr Rao said: "Assault is also there, appendicitis is subsequent development and had nothing to do with the assault."
Mr Rao added, however, that Susheel Kumar, an activist of the BJP's youth wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), may have been "too scared to go to the police or the hospital" after being forced by members of the Ambedkar Students Association to give a written apology at 1 am for his comments on Facebook describing them as "hooligans".
The discharge report of Archana Hospitals, where Susheel Kumar was admitted, says: "Blunt trauma abdomen with acute appendicitis." It also mentions an injury on his left shoulder.
Ramachander Rao has been accused of forcing the university to punish Rohith Vemula and other students for allegedly attacking the ABVP activist. He denied leaning on Vice Chancellor Appa Rao Podile, claiming that he went to meet him only to console the mother of Susheel Kumar, who had been at his office at the time.
Rohith's suicide note had made it "clear and evident" that no one was responsible for his death, Mr Rao asserted.
Four months after the alleged attack on Susheel Kumar, the Hyderabad Central University suspended five students including Rohith and banned them from the hostel, cafeteria and other common areas on campus. The university had earlier said there was no evidence that they had attacked the ABVP activist.