Andhra Pradesh: Bajrang Dal members accused of harassing Dalit professor at Sri Venkateswara University
Dr. Changaiya, who is the Dean of the Department of Electrical Engineering, is known for his activism for social justice and Dalit rights.
Published on: 05 Dec 2024, 1:58 pm
Tirupati: A Dalit professor, Dr Changaiah, was allegedly attacked by members of a right-wing group on the campus of Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh) on Wednesday. Dr Changaiah, who is the dean of the electrical engineering department, is known for his activism for social justice and Dalit rights.
According to India Today ‘s report, the incident started when some people said to be associated with Bajrang Dal entered the university campus and started arguing with Dr. Changaiya. After some time, the argument turned into a fight in which the professor got injured. The video of the incident is also going viral on social media.
The police have registered a complaint and started investigation. A search operation is being conducted to trace the accused.
The attack has raised concerns about the safety of Dalits as it is the second such incident within a week. On November 27, a 27-year-old Dalit youth, Narad Jatav, was beaten to death by the local sarpanch and his family in Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh, allegedly following a dispute over the use of a hand pump.
In another incident, a Dalit associate professor at Lucknow University was recently attacked on campus by a member of the Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha. According to a Times of India report, the same professor was also attacked a few days ago by students belonging to the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). However, there is no clarity yet on the steps taken by the university administration in these cases.
These incidents have highlighted the growing violence against people from the Dalit community in educational institutions and public places. This raises serious questions about legal action and institutional accountability.
