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UoH doctor challenges Smriti's statement

Rubbishes claims of not examining Rohith Vemula
Last Updated 25 February 2016, 19:24 IST

A University of Hyderabad medical officer has trashed claims made by HRD Minister Smriti Irani in Parliament that no doctor was allowed near Rohith Vemula’s body until 6.30 am after his suicide.

Deputy Chief medical officer in the campus Dr M Rajashree told reporters on Thursday that she was informed of a student’s hanging at room 207 at the new research scholar hostel by 7.25 pm on January 17.

University’s security found Rohit’s body between 6.30 and 7 pm at his friend Uma Maheswar Rao’s room and informed DCMO.

“I was informed about the incident on the phone by 7.25 pm and I immediately rushed to the hostel,”  Dr Rajashree said.

“By the time I reached the room, his body had been removed from the blue cloth on which it was hanging from the fan. I examined the body for 10 minutes and declared him dead. I made notes in the university health book,” she added.

The doctor called university vice chancellor Apparao to inform him about Rohith’s death. When the vice chancellor asked if the research scholar could be revived, she told him he was dead.

 “After that, I stayed at the hostel till about 3 pm,” she said.

The health book Dr Rajashree presented before the press mentioned the time of Rohit’s death as approximately 7.30 pm on January 17.

It also revealed that she informed the VC, Dean of Students’ Welfare, Registrar, police.
It contained her signature.

The entry also says Rohith’s body was cold with bloody abdomen, protruding tongue and froth coming from the mouth. His eyes were dilated and there was no heartbeat or breathing.

The FIR by the Gachibowli police also mentioned that the doors to hostel room 207 was open and Rohit’s body was lying on the table when they reached the spot by 7.25 pm.

Quoting the Gachibowli police, under whose jurisdiction UoH falls, Irani on Wednesday claimed that students did not allow doctors to go near Rohith’s body until 6.30 am on January 18, instead used the dead body as a political tool.

The police also said the hand-written suicide note found near the body said no one was responsible for the death.

A video link provided by students close to Rohit also showed Dr Rajashree and the Telangana Police present at about 7.30 pm near his body, backing her claims.

However, agitating students did not allow the police to remove Rohit’s body for post-mortem until on January 18.  “The medical officer Dr Rajashree and the police rushed to the hostel on January 17 immediately after the security found Rohith hanging in the hostel room. We were all there when the medical officer declared him dead. I think the HRD minister has ied to the Lok Sabha,” Prashanth, one of the five suspended research scholars said.


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(Published 25 February 2016, 19:24 IST)

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