Hyderabad: University of Hyderabad vice-chancellor Prof. Appa Rao Podile, who is in the dock for the suicide of research scholar Rohith Vemula, went on indefinite leave on Sunday afternoon.
The university appointed the next senior teacher Dr Vipin Srivastava as incharge V-C.
Read: HCU Suicide: 7 more UoH students go on indefinite protest fast
Dr Srivastava, to break the ice with student leaders, holds a PhD from Roorkee University and is an expert in condensed matter physics, neural networks and brain function modelling. His appointment, however, has drawn protests.
In another climbdown, the UoH issued an order on Sunday to “terminate the punishment” on the four scholars. The order was issued as student unions had objected to the university suspending their punishment in a circular which they deemed invalid.
Read: Rohith's mother Radhika Vemula sent to ICU
Vipin also tainted, say students
The appointment of Dr Vipin Srivastava as incharge University of Hyderabad vice-chancellor on Sunday was condemned by protesting students and the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Teachers Association and Officers Forum.
Read: Hyderabad varsity VC Appa Rao says he took leave to facilitate talks
They said Dr Srivastava was the physics dean when a dalit PhD student of the department, Senthil Kumar from Tamil Nadu, committed suicide in 2008.
Senthil was said to be frustrated at not being allotted a guide for over a year by Dr Vipin Srivastava.
