Around 55 teachers from HCU have gone on a day’s leave en masse – a mark of protest against police violence against students and the return of the Vice chancellor, Appa Rao Podile. An independent fact-finding committee comprising lawyers and human rights activists has corroborated claims that female students were threatened with rape and minority students were called terrorists by the police.Some 25 students and two faculty members arrested after the protests have been granted bail by a local court. The VC has also appealed to the students and the faculty to not indulge in confrontational and violent behaviour, and work together toward a peaceful resolution instead. Nonetheless, the students have decided to continue their protests until the VC resigns and their demands are met. They have received solidarity from academicians and students across the globe, including from JNUSU, which submitted a memorandum to the NHRC on human rights abuse in HCU. Other statements of solidarity follow.Contents:Letter to Chancellor, UoH, signed by 200 academics from around the countryUniversity of Hyderabad alumni teachers protest the brutal police acts on campusStatement of solidarity by the IIT Bombay communityAnthropologist Talal Asad, in support1. Letter to Chancellor, UoH, signed by 200 academics from around the countryWe have learnt with dismay about the attack by the police on students at the University of Hyderabad on 22 March, 2016. We understand that there may have been acts of destruction by some of the students, and we strongly condemn such acts. It is arguable whether it was necessary to call the police to deal with the students. However, having called the police, the administration of the University should have ensured that the police force did not make a brutal assault on the students. The Vice Chancellor and the administration of the University failed in this respect, as the ensuing heavy-handed police action proves. We strongly condemn the attack by the police, and the failure of the administration of the University to prevent it.We would like to make the following points about the immediate repercussions of the events of the 22nd:1. Several students and two members of the faculty of the University have been detained by the police. We request you, and the administration of the University, to take every possible measure to secure their release, and to get them back to the University at the earliest.2. Some students were injured in the police action, and have been receiving medical treatment at the University’s Health Centre, and in private clinics and hospitals. We urge that all available help be extended to these students, and we request you to ensure their well-being.3. We understand that some students who have been protesting are worried about their future in the university, and fear retribution from the administration. It is imperative that their fears be assuaged, and that students are not penalised for legitimately voicing their political opinions, or for challenging the University establishment.4. There was no food or water in the student hostels, and the connection between the Univer- sity campus and the Internet was closed down, for two days after the 22nd. This is a form of collective punishment. We condemn it, and ask the administration of the University to see that such acts of punishment do not recur.We have the following points to make in the general context of the stormy events at the University:1. The direct cause of the events on the 22nd was the resumption of office by P. Appa Rao, the Vice Chancellor of the University. A judicial enquiry has been initiated by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, into the events around Rohith Vemula’s suicide, and Prof. Appa Rao is one of the central figures in those events. There is a case against him under the SC/ST Atrocities Act, and another under the laws relating to abetting a suicide. In these circumstances, it is utterly inappropriate for him to occupy the office of the Vice Chancellor of the University, and we demand that he relinquish that office forthwith.2. There has been almost no progress in the police cases against Prof. Appa Rao, whereas the police have been quick to act on the protesting students. We demand that this imbalance be redressed, and that the cases against Prof. Appa Rao be speedily brought to their logical conclusion.3. The protest by the students on the 22nd grew out of the events that led to Mr. Vemula’s suicide. Issues of systematic injustice against Dalits, and of attempts by certain groups of students of the University to disrupt the activities of students whose opinions they oppose, have repeatedly surfaced in the discourse following Mr. Vemula’s suicide. We ask the administration of the University to seriously address these issues.4. A troubling feature of the events at the University is the frequent reliance of the administration of the University on the police apparatus. We feel that the police have no place in an academic campus, and should be called upon only in rare circumstances. We, therefore, request you to have the police removed from the campus of the University.The University of Hyderabad is one of the important educational centres of the country. For that reason, we hope that you, and the administration of the University, will do every- thing to provide the students of the University the freedom, and the consideration, that are a distinguishing feature of a great academic institution.Yours sincerely,1.A. P. Balachandran, Syracuse University, Emeritus faculty2.Abani K. Bhuyan, University of Hyderabad, Faculty3.Abha Dev Habib, Miranda House (University of Delhi), Faculty4.Abhijit Majumder, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Faculty5.Abhishek Atreya, Physical Research Laboratory, Postdoctoral fellow6.Aditya Nigam, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, Fellow7.Angelie Multani, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Faculty8.Anindya Sarkar, Bangabasi Morning College (University of Calcutta), Faculty9.Anirban Kundu, University of Calcutta, Faculty10.Akavoor Manu, Chennai Mathematical Institute, Research scholar11.Alka Acharya, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Faculty12.Alladi Sitaram, Indian Statistical Institute, Retired faculty13.Alok Laddha, Chennai Mathematical Institute, Faculty14.Alok Maharana, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Faculty15.Amarjit Kundu, Santipur College (University of Kalyani), Faculty16.Amber Habib, Shiv Nadar University, Faculty17.Ameet Parameswaran, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Faculty18.Amitabh Joshi, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scienti c Research, Faculty19.Amitabha Bandyopadhyay, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Faculty20.Ananthu James, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scienti c Research, Research scholar21.Ananyo Maitra, Laboratory of Theoretical Physics and Statistical Models, Paris, Re- searcher22.Anindita Bera, University of Calcutta, Research scholar23.Anindita Bidisha Chatterjee, Wildlife Institute of India, Research scholar24.Anindita Brahma, Indian Institute of Science, Research scholar25.Anindya Bhattacharya, University of York, Faculty26.Anindya Datta, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Faculty27.Anirban Kar, Delhi School of Economics, Faculty28.Ankan Paul, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Faculty29.Anuj Menon, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scienti c Research, Research scholar30.Anupama Potluri, University of Hyderabad, Faculty31.Anwesa Bhattacharya, Indian Institute of Science, Research associate32.Apoorva Nagar, Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, Faculty33.Archana Prasad, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Faculty34.Archana S. Morye, University of Hyderabad, Faculty35.Aritra Banerjee, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Research scholar36.Arnab Rai Choudhuri, Indian Institute of Science, Faculty37.Arpan Kundu, Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Research scholar38.Arya Suman Mishra, Seth G. S. Medical College and KEM Hospital, Specialty Medical O cer39.Avinash Kumar, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Faculty40.Ashoke Sen, Harish-Chandra Research Institute, Faculty41.Atul Chokshi, Indian Institute of Science, Faculty42.Aurnab Ghose, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune, Faculty43.Avishek Konar, Observer Research Foundation, Associate fellow44.Ayesha Kidwai, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Faculty45.B. Ananthanarayan, Indian Institute of Science, Faculty46.Bhanu Pratap Das, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan, Faculty47.Bidisa Das, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Scientist48.C. M. Chandrashekar, Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Faculty49.C. S. Rajan, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, Faculty50.Chandan Singh Dalawat, Harish-Chandra Research Institute, Faculty51.Chandra Kant Mishra, International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Postdoctoral fellow52.D. C. V. Mallik, Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Faculty53.D. Surya Ramana, Harish-Chandra Research Institute, Faculty54.Darius Vasco K•oster, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Postdoctoral fellow55.Debasis Mondal, Harish-Chandra Research Institute, Research scholar56.Debjani Sengupta, Indraprastha College for Women (University of Delhi), Faculty57.Deepak Kumar, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Faculty58.Dileep Jatkar, Harish-Chandra Research Institute, Faculty59.Dinesh Mohan, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Retired faculty60.Dipankar, TREELabs Foundation, Chief scientist61.E. Arunan, Indian Institute of Science, Faculty62.Enakshi Bhattacharya, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Faculty63.Faraz Ahmed Inam, Aligarh Muslim University, Faculty64.Fazlay Ahmed, Jamia Millia Islamia, Research Scholar65.Feroz M. H. Musthafa, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms, Technology manager66.G. Arunima, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Faculty67.G. Vijay, University of Hyderabad, Faculty68.Garga Chatterjee, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, Faculty69.Gaurav Mendiratta, Indian Institute of Science, Research scholar70.Gautam Gangopadhyay, University of Calcutta, Faculty71.Girish Kumar Chakravarty, Physical Research Laboratory, Postdoctoral fellow72.Gita Chadha, University of Mumbai, Faculty73.Gopal Guru, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Faculty74.Indra Balachandran, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Albany, NY, Re- tired faculty75.Indraneel Dasgupta, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, Faculty76.Jayati Ghosh, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Faculty77.Joby Joseph, University of Hyderabad, Faculty78.Joseph Samuel, Raman Research Institute, Faculty79.Jenny Sulfath, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, Research scholar80.Jishnu Dey, Presidency University, Guest faculty81.Jyoti Dalal, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scienti c Research, Research scholar82.K. Ramakrishnan, TIPS Global, Adviser83.Kallol Paul, TIFR Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Research scholar84.Kannan U. M., Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Research scholar85.Karan Namdeorao Khirade, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Research scholar86.Karen Gabriel, St. Stephen’s College (University of Delhi), Faculty87.Kaushik Bhattacharya, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Faculty88.Kishor V. Salunkhe, Chennai Mathematical Institute, Research scholar89.Koel Das, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Faculty90.Krishnendu Sengupta, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Faculty91.Kuntal Ghosh, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, Faculty92.Lalit Shukla, Physical Research Laboratory, Research Scholar93.Lyla Mehta, Institute of Development Studies, UK, and Noragric, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Faculty94.M. V. Ramana, Princeton University, Faculty95.Madhusudhan Raman, Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Research scholar96.Mahan Mj, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, Faculty97.Maitreyee Saha Sarkar, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Faculty98.Malancha Ta, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata, Faculty99.Maneesh Thakur, Indian Statistical Institute, Delhi, Faculty100.Md. Shah Alam, Jamia Millia Islamia, Research scholar101.Md. Wali Hossain, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Postdoctoral Fellow102.Mihir Pandey, Ramjas College (University of Delhi), Faculty103.Mrinmoy Mukherjee, TIFR Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Research Scholar104.N. Raghavendra, Harish-Chandra Research Institute, Faculty105.Nandita Narain, St. Stephen’s College (University of Delhi), Faculty106.Nandu Gopan, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scienti c Research, Research asso- ciate,107.Narayanan Menon, TIFR Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Hyderabad, Faculty108.Naresh Dadhich, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Emeritus fac- ulty109.Naveen Gaur, Dyal Singh College (University of Delhi), Faculty110.Neelima Gupte, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Faculty111.Neera Singh, University of Toronto, Canada, Faculty112.Nihav Dhawale, National Centre for Biological Sciences and Yale University, Research scholar113.Nirmalya Kajuri, IIT Madras, Postdoctoral fellow114.Nissim Kanekar, National Centre for Radio Astrophysics, TIFR, Pune, Faculty115.Nivedita Menon, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Faculty116.Nur Jaman, Jamia Millia Islamia, Research scholar117.Oindrila Deb, Indian Institute of Science, Research scholar118.P. Damani, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Faculty119.Padmini Swaminathan, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Hyderabad, Faculty120.Parameswaran Sankaran, Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Faculty121.Parasar Mohanty, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Faculty122.Parswa Nath Student, TIFR Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Research scholar123.Partha Pratim Roy, South Point High School, Kolkata, Teacher124.Partho Sarothi Ray, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Faculty125.Pinaki Banerjee, Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Research scholar126.Pinaki Chaudhuri, Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Faculty127.Prabhu Nott, Indian Institute of Science, Faculty128.Pradipta Bandyopadhyay, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Faculty129.Pratik Majumdar, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Faculty130.Pratiksha Baxi, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Faculty131.Procheta Mallik, Innovation and Science Promotion Foundation, Researcher132.Pradeepkumar P. I., Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Faculty133.Prajval Shastri, Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Faculty134.Pranav P. Manangath, University of Western Ontario, Canada, Research scholar135.Prasenjit Sen, Harish-Chandra Research Institute, Faculty136.Prathyusha K. R., University of Dundee, Postdoctoral fellow137.Proteep Mallik, Azim Premji University, Faculty138.Pulak Banerjee, Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Research scholar139.Qamar Nasir Usmani, Jamia Millia Islamia, Faculty140.Rahul Pandey, Indian Institute of Management Lucknow, Visiting faculty141.Rahul Siddharthan, Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Faculty142.Rahul Varman, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Faculty143.Rajat Tandon, University of Hyderabad, Faculty144.Rajesh Gopakumar, International Center for Theoretical Sciences, Faculty145.Ramesh Bairy T. S., Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Faculty146.Ramesh Sreekantan, Indian Statistical Institute, Bangalore, Faculty147.Ranjani Mazumdar, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Faculty148.Ravi Kunjwal, Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Research scholar149.Rekha Pappu, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Hyderabad, Faculty150.Remya Nair, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Postdoctoral fellow151.Resmi Lekshmi, Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, Faculty152.Rita Mazumdar, Ranchi Women’s College, Retired faculty153.Rohan D’ Souza, Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies, Kyoto University, Faculty154.Rukmini Dey, International Center for Theoretical Sciences, Faculty155.Rupali Gangopadhyay, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Researcher156.Rusa Mandal, Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Research scholar157.S. Akshay, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Faculty158.S. Durga Bhavani, University of Hyderabad, Faculty159.S. G. Dani, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Faculty160.Sabiha Majumder, Indian Institute of Science, Student161.Sachindeo Vaidya, Indian Institute of Science, Faculty162.Saikat Ghosh, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Faculty163.Saman Habib, Central Drug Research Institute, Senior Principal Scientist164.Sanket Haque, Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre, Trainee165.Saptarshi Pal, University of Calcutta, Research Scholar166.Samriddhi Sankar Ray, International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Faculty167.Sandeep Krishna, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Faculty168.Satadal Ganguly, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, Faculty169.Satyajit Chowdhury, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Research scholar170.Saumyajit Bhattacharya, Kirori Mal College (University of Delhi), Faculty171.Seshadri Sridhar, Raman Research Institute, Faculty172.Shahana Bhattacharya, University of Delhi, Faculty173.Shambhavi Prakash, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Faculty174.Sharath Jose, TIFR Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Research scholar175.Sharmila Purkayastha, Miranda House (University of Delhi), Faculty176.Sharmila Sreekumar, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Faculty177.Shiva Shankar, Chennai Mathematical Institute, Faculty178.Shubha Tewari, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Faculty179.Sibasish Ghosh, Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Faculty180.Siddharth K. J., Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, Research scholar181.Simona Sawhney, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Faculty182.Sirisha Naidu, Wright State University, Faculty183.Siva Athreya, Indian Statistical Institute, Bangalore, Faculty184.Somnath Basu, R. K. M. Vivekananda University, Faculty185.Soumya Das, Indian Institute of Science, Faculty186.Souvik Mandal, Indian Institute of Science, Research scholar187.Sridipta Ghatak, Jadavpur University188.Srikanth Sastry, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scienti c Research, Faculty189.Subhashis Banerjee, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Faculty190.Subhradip Ghosh, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Faculty191.Subhro Bhattacharjee, International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Faculty192.Subiman Kundu, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Faculty193.Sudip Kumar Haldar, Physical Research Laboratory, Postdoctoral fellow194.Sudipta Bandyopadhyay, University of Calcutta, Faculty195.Sudipto Muhuri, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Faculty196.Sugata Ray, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Faculty197.Suman Ganguli, Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Postdoctoral fellow198.Sumathi Rao, Harish-Chandra Research Institute, Faculty199.Sumati Surya, Raman Research Institute, Faculty200.Sumilan Banerjee, Weizmann Institute of Science, Postdoctoral fellow201.Sumit Kumar, International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Postdoctoral fellow202.Sumithra Sankaran, Indian Institute of Science, Research scholar203.Sundar Sarukkai, Manipal University, Faculty204.Supratik Chakraborty, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Faculty205.Supratim Sengupta, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Faculty206.Suramya T. K., Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Research scholar207.Suresh Devasahayam, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Faculty208.Suresh Govindarajan, Indian Insitute of Technology Madras, Faculty209.Susmita Sarkar, University of Calcutta, Faculty210.Sushmita Venugopalan, Chennai Mathematical Institute, Visiting faculty211.Sutirtha Dutta, Wildlife Institute of India, Project scientist212.Suvrat Raju, International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Faculty213.Swagato Sanyal, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, Research scholar214.T. N. C. Vidya, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scienti c Research, Faculty fellow215.T. R. Govindarajan, Chennai Mathematical Institute, Faculty216.Tabish Qureshi, Jamia Millia Islamia, Faculty217.Tamoghna Das, NIST and University of Maryland, CNST-UM fellow218.Taniya Mandal Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Research scholar219.Tanmay Deshpande, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, Faculty220.Tanmay Mitra, Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Research scholar221.Trisha Nath, Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Research scholar222.U. K. Anandavardhanan, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Faculty223.Upayan Baul, Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Research scholar224.V. R. Padmawar, Indian Statistical Institute, Faculty225.V. S. Sunder, Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Faculty226.Varuni Prabhakar, Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Postdoctoral fellow227.Venu Madhav Govindu, Indian Institute of Science, Faculty228.Vijay Ravikumar, Chennai Mathematical Institute, Faculty229.Vikas Bajpai, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Faculty230.Vikram Vyas, St. Stephens College (University of Delhi), Faculty231.Vinay Kumar Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Faculty232.Vipul Vivek, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, Postgraduate student233.Vishnu T. R., Chennai Mathematical Institute, Research scholar234.Vishwesha Guttal, Indian Institute of Science, Faculty235.Yogish I. Holla, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, Faculty236.Zaheer Ahmed Sayeed, Brain Sciences237.Zoya Hasan, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Emeritus facultyThe signatories are listed in the alphabetical order of their names. Institutional affiliations of the signatories are given only for purposes of identification, and do not indicate the official positions of these organisations.2. University of Hyderabad alumni teachers protest the brutal police acts on campusWe are deeply pained to see the heinous attack by the state police and paramilitary force on students who are protesting the activities of Appa Rao Podile, the controversial Vice Chancellor of Hyderabad University. As the alumni of one of India’s premier educational institutions, presently teaching in various universities in India, and abroad, we strongly feel that such high handed actions and state sponsored police violence on students – both young men and women – must be condemned. This is crucial in an age of extensive authoritarian silencing. In this open communication with the higher ups in UoH, we would like to reiterate the fact that your dealing with the students has been miscalculated and has provided no reassurance at all. Blinded by a casteist mindset and a resurgent confidence in the wake of a political regime change, the university has failed miserably to instil much needed assurance in the students whose protests have been intensified since the forced suicide of Rohit Vemula. To our utter dismay, we realise that the failed university administration has begun to work hand in glove with the police in order to silence students’ demands, which should have merited a careful hearing and meaningful resolution. However, the VC and his entourage in the university feel that such sustained efforts have no value in a democracy. The shameful activities of the Police-raj, and the subsequent choreographies of complacency at the university clearly display an abysmal misreading of subaltern issues and concerns about the every day survival of students from marginalised backgrounds.UoH, where all of us spent considerable numbers of years as students and researchers has been one of the major centres of post-Mandal anti-caste politics in India. It has a pioneering role in exposing and articulating – intellectually and politically – the role of caste atrocities with its multiple physical, sexual, and psychological turmoil in the making every day Dalit life. This role has been relevant not only in Telugu speaking regions, but in the whole of India. Being a major central university where the largest number of Dalit scholars study, it is relevant that the casteist mindset of a section of the administration has always chosen ways of maligning the activities of Dalit and subaltern students on this campus. Having witnessed many such activities even earlier, we are not surprised by the fact that the present university administration which draws a huge support from the current political establishment which hypocritically claims Ambedkar can condemn scholars who teach Ambedkar at UoH, and permit them to be imprisoned. We also condemn the physical attack and violence on the university property unleashed by a small group of students whose identities have not yet been fully examined. Violence in a democracy cannot be upheld, whether it is part of defensive tactics or ‘spontaneous’ behaviour. Such attacks are highly uncalled for and have no place when there are more creative and powerful methods of expressing dissent and differences. Equally important is the fact that, such violence cannot be ‘corrected’ by unleashing aggression and the spectacle of public punishment. Therefore, we not only demand a full investigation into this massive campus violence in which a large number of women students and scholars were brutally assaulted and traumatised but also an immediate resignation of Professor Appa Rao who failed to carry out the official responsibilities as the VC and an ethical commitment as a teacher.SignatoriesP. K. Yasser Arafath, Assistant Professor, Department of History, DUP. Kesava Kumar, Professor, Department of Philosophy, DUN. Sukumar, Professor, Department of Political Science, DUParvathi K. Iyer, Assistant Professor, Central University of GujaratAshley N. P, Assistant Professor, Department of English, St.Stephen’s College, DUThameem T. Assistant Professor, Department of English, St. Stephen’s College, DUMuneer Babu. M, Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, Adigrat University, EthiopiaAjit Kulangara Madam, Assistant Professor, Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology, KarnatakaM.N.Parasuraman, Government College of Women, University of Kerala, TVMSujit Parayil, Assistant Professor, Centre for Media Studies, JNUItishree Pattnaik, Assistant Professor, GIDR, AhmedabadDinesh Prasad, Official Language Officer, Deputy Head, Publication, NID. AhmedabadKali Chittibabu, Assistant Professor, Centre for Informal Sector and Labour Studies, School of Social Sciences, JNURijo M John, Assistant Professor, Indian Institute of Technology-Jodhpur, RajasthanAbey Philip, Senior Lecture, Department of Economics and Finance, Curtin University, MalaysiaNiveditha Kalarikkal, Assistant Professor, Center for Comparative Literature and Translation Studies, Central University of Gujarat.Dusi Srinivas, Lecturer in History, JVR College, TelanganaWe, the undersigned members of IIT Bombay community, strongly condemn the police repression that has been unleashed on students and faculty of University of Hyderabad who seek justice for Rohith Vemula, with the active connivance of the University administration. The testimonies of the events have been singularly disturbing. We cannot let educational institutions become play fields of state repression.We urge the University administration to immediately remove the police force present on the campus, withdraw charges on the students and faculty, institute a committee of inquiry to look into the allegations of police violence. We also implore the National Human Rights Commission, the National Commission for Women, the National Minorities Commission and the National Commission for SC and ST to send teams to speak to the students and faculty, and hold a public hearing on the events of 22nd March and thereafter.[This statement is issued in our individual capacities, and does not represent the institution’s opinion.]Signatories:1.Ramesh Bairy T S, Associate Professor, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Bombay2.Sharmila S, Associate Professor, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Bombay3.Maithreyi M R (Senior Editor, BNHS, Mumbai), Resident, IIT Bombay4.Uddipta Chatterjee, Alumnus, Department of Electrical Enigeering, IIT Bombay.5.Siby K George, Associate Professor, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Bombay6.Anil Phulawale, PhD student, Dept. of HSS, IIT Bombay.7.Supratik Chakraborty, Professor, Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering, IIT Bombay8.Ubaid Mushtaq, Alumnus, IIT Bombay9.Bindhulakshmi P. (Assoc. Professor, Tata Inst. of Social Sciences), Alumnus IIT Bombay10.Paankhi Agrawal, PhD student, Dept. of HSS, IIT Bombay11.Sagar Sharma (Student, IIT Bombay)12.Prateek Vijayavargia, (M Phil Student, Department of HSS, IIT Bombay)13.Gautam Ganapathy, PhD Student, CTARA, IIT Bombay14.Anandavardhanan, Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics, IIT Bombay15.Sabu K.T. (Ph.D. Scholar, Dept. of HSS, IIT Bombay)16.Hemant Belsare, PhD student, CTARA, IIT Bombay.17.Ratheesh Radhakrishnan, Associate Professor, Dept. of HSS, IIT Bombay18.Rakhahari Saha, PhD student, IIT Bombay19.Danish, PhD candidate, IIT Bombay20.Priya Jadhav, Assistant Professor, Centre for Technology Alternatives for Rural Areas, IIT Bombay21.Parth Shrimali, Undergraduate Student, IITBombay22.S. Akshay, Assistant Professor, Dept of CSE, IIT Bombay23.Ranjith Kallyani, Ph.D Student, IIT Bombay24.Dayadeep Monder, Assistant Professor, Dept of Energy Science and Engineering, IIT Bombay25.Naresh K. Chandiramani, Professor, Dept of Civil Engg, IIT Bombay26.Roopesh OB, Ph.D Student, IIT Bombay27.Aparna Ros, Ph.D Student, Dept of HSS, IIT Bombay28.Soma KP, PhD Scholar , HSS Deptt, IIT Bombay29.Nisar AC. Ph.D Student, Dept. of HSS, IIT Bombay30.Anindya Datta, Professor, Department of Chemistry, IIT Bombay31.Bodhayan Roy, Postdoctoral Fellow, Dept. of CSE, IIT Bombay32.Sudipt Kumar (Student, HSS, IIT Bombay)33.Amit Saurabh ( M.Phil, HSS, IIT Bombay)34.Ravinder Kumar Verma (Student, HSS, IIT Bombay)35.Paulomi Chakraborty, Assistant Professor, Dept of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Bombay36.Avinash, PhD Student, Dept. of HSS, IIT Bombay37.Nikhil Balaji, Postdoctoral Fellow, Dept. of CSE, IIT Bombay38.Harshit Pande, Alumnus 2015 M.Tech Computer Science and Engineering39.Afsal Najeeb, M.Tech student, CTARA, IIT Bombay40.Anand Karthikeyan, PhD student, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Bombay41.Yoonus K, PhD student, Dept of HSS, IIT Bombay.42.Ilyas M. Ph.D student. Dept of HSS, IIT Bombay.43.Aman Madaan, M.Tech. (CSE) 2015 Batch44.Punnya Rajendran, PhD student, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Bombay45.Dileesh P. V., PhD Student, ME Dept. IIT Bombay46.Darshan Yadav, Undergraduate, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay.47.Sarbani Bandyopadhyay, PhD Student, HSS Dept IIT BOMBAY48.Pooja Prasad, PhD student, CTARA, IIT Bombay49.Abhinav Tyagi, PhD Student, Dept of HSS, IIT Bombay.50.Aneri Taskar ( M.Phil Student, Dept of HSS, IIT Bombay)51.Ushak Rahaman, PhD student, Dept. of Physics, IIT Bombay52.Chandradeep Singh PhD student, Electrical Engineering, IIT Bombay53.Sandeep Choubey, Alumnus, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay.54.Rahul Maganti, Alumnus, Dept. of Metallurgical Engg. and Materials Science, IIT Bombay.55.Dipjyoti Das, Alumnus, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay.56.Chinmay Dharurkar, PhD Student, IIT Bombay.57.Aditya Gangrade, Alumnus, Dept. of Electrical Engg., IIT Bombay.58.Niladri Chatterji, Alumnus, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay.59.Arpit Agarwal, Alumnus, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Bombay.60.Bodhi Vani, Alumna, Dept. of Chemistry, IIT Bombay61.Rushina Shah, Alumna, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Bombay62.Madhu N. Belur, Professor, Dept of Electrical Engineering, IIT Bombay63.Sarbani Banerjee Belur, Project Research Scientist, IIT Bombay64.Kushal Deb, Professor, Dept of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Bombay65.Manisha Rao, (Assistant Professor, Dept of Sociology, University of Bombay) Resident, IIT Bombay66.Rinzi Lama, Alumnus, Department of HSS, IIT Bombay67.Shaoni Shabnam, Research Associate, Dept. of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Bombay68.Byasa Moharana, Assistant Professor, TISS, Tuljapur Campus.69.A. Sanyal, Professor, Department of CSE, IIT Bombay.70.Abhish Dev, Alumnus, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay71.Udit Mavinkurve, Undergraduate, Department of Mathematics, IIT Bombay.72.Arpan Saha, Alumnus, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay73.Somesh Yadav, Undergraduate, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay.74.Esli Kumar, Undergraduate, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay.75.RamSagar Meena, Undergraduate, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay.76.Mohammad Qadish, Undergraduate, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay.77.Suman Sourav, Alumnus, Department of Aerospace Engineering, IIT Bombay78.Mihir Bhosale, Undergraduate, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay79.Sudipto Biswas, Alumnus, Department of CSE, IIT Bombay80.Ramandeep Kaur, Undergraduate, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay81.Arpita Phukan Biswas, Doctoral Student, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Bombay82.Harshit Sahay, Undergraduate Student, Department of MEMS, IIT Bombay83.Tejas Srinivasan, Undergraduate, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Bombay84.Sanjeet Kumar, Undergraduate, Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Bombay85.Aswathi Raveendran, Doctoral Student, Department of Chemistry, IIT Bombay186.Adithya Gungi, Student, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay87.Mithila Biniwale, Alumnus, Department of Humanities and Social sciences, IIT Bombay88.Bhaskaran Raman, Professor, Department of CSE, IIT Bombay89.Siddhartha Chaudhuri, Assistant Professor, Department of CSE, IIT Bombay90.Saptarshi Dey, Alumnus, Dept. of Earth Sciences, IIT Bombay91.Jishnu Krishnan,Research assistant , IDC , IIT Bombay92.Gargi S Kumar , Phd Student, HSS , IIT Bombay93.Aquib Parvez, M.Phil student, HSS, IITBombay94.Ado Kehie, Alumnus, HSS, IITBombay95.Ashutosh Tripathi, Alumnus, Department of Chemistry, IIT Bombay96.Anil Kottantharayil, Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Bombay97.Mufsin PP. M Phil Planning and Development, Dept. of HSS, IIT Bombay.98.G. Pavan Bharadwaj, Alumnus, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Bombay99.M. A. Abidini, Alumnus, Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Bombay100.R.V.C. Bennabhaktula. Alumnus, Department of Engineering Physics, IIT Bombay101.Malabika Biswas. Doctoral student. Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Bombay102.Anirban Ghatak, Alumnus. Department of IEOR, IIT Bombay103.Praveen R, Alumnus, Department of Civil Engg,, IIT Bombay104.Bhuvaneshwari Subramanian, M.Phil student, Dept of HSS, IIT Bombay105.Abhijit Majumder, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, IITB.106.Jitendra Shah, Project staff, GISE Lab, CSE, IITB107.Pradeepkumar, P.I., Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, IIT Bombay108.Irfan Ali K C, M Phil research scholar, Planning and Development,Department of HSS, IIT Bombay.109.Priya Sharma, M.Phil Research scholar, HSS, IIT Bombay110.Mohon Kumar M.Phil Alumnus, Department of Humanities and Social sciences, IIT Bombay111.Sagnik Chakraborty, Alumnus, IIT Bombay112.Tresa Abraham, PhD student, Dept. of HSS, IIT Bombay113.Abhishek Kashyap, PhD student, Dept. of HSS, IIT Bombay114.Om P. Damani, Associate Professor, Department of CSE, IIT Bombay115.Pranay K Vaidya, Alumnus, Chemical Engineering, IIT Bombay116 Ashish Sangle, Alumnus,Chemical Engineering, IIT Bombay117.Praveen Patel, Alumnus,Chemical Engineering, IIT Bombay118.Sidhant Kumar, Alumnus, Chemical Engineering, IIT Bombay 119.Sooraj P,PhD student, Mechanical Engineering Dept., IIT Bombay120.Deewanshi Rawat, M.Phil Research Scholar, HSS, IIT Bombay121.Pleasa Serin Abraham, PhD Scholar, IIT Bombay122.Jayanth Tadinada, Class of 2011, IIT Bombay123.Surya Prakash Upadhyay, Assistant Professor, IIT Mandi (Alumnus, IIT Bombay)124.Vinay: Planning & Development IIT Bombay125.Ved Prakash, M. Phil. (Planning & Development), Dept. of HSS, IIT Bombay126.Mahendra,M Phil,HSS,IIT Bombay.127 Sagar, M.Phil, H,S,S, IIT Bombay128.S. G. Dani, Distinguished Visiting Professor, Dept. of Math., IIT Bombay129.Merin Simi Raj, Asst Professor, IIT Madras, Alumnus, IIT Bombay130.Anzar Rabbani, Dual Degree Student(B.Tech+M.Tech), IIT Bombay 131.Rashmi Chaudhary, Alumnus, Department of HSS, IIT Bombay132.Milan Agnani, Alumnus, Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science, IIT Bombay133.Priyam Tripathy, Alumna, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Bombay134.Abhijit Dasgupta, Phd student, HSS. IIT Bombay135.Purushottam Kulkarni, Faculty, CSE, IIT Bombay136.Supravat Dey, Alumnus, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay137.Sonam Ambe, Alumnus, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT ,Bombay138.Rashmi Rekha Mech, Alumnus, CSE, IIT Bombay139.Shreyans Maini, Class of 2010, IIT Bombay140.Roshni Babu, PhD student, IIT Bombay.141.Jithin R, PhD Student, Dept. of Electrical Engineering, IIT Bombay142.Sandeep S, Research scholar, Dept. of Electrical Engineering, IIT Bombay143.Harsh Bhageria, Alumnus, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay144.Neeraja Sahasrabudhe, Postdoctoral fellow, Dept. of Electrical Engineering, IIT Bombay.145.Sayali Zarekar, Alumnus, ChE, IIT Bombay146.Anurag Misra, Alumnus, Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Bombay147.Sushant Raut, Alumnus, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay148.Sneha Sharma, Alumna, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Bombay149.Hemendra Srivastava, Alumnus, CSE, IIT Bombay.150.Saaz Sakrikar, Alumnus, Department of Chemistry, IIT Bombay. 151.Rama Krishna Banoth, Alumnus, CSE, IIT Bombay.152.K Kranthi Kumar, Ph.D. Scholar, Dept. of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Bombay153.Tamali Chakraborty, Ph.D. student, Dept. of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Bombay154.Santosh R Chavan, Staff, Department of HSS, IIT Bombay155.Shruti Sahay, Ph.D. student, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Bombay156.Peehu Pardeshi, PhD student, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Bombay157.Meryl Lewis, Alumna, Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science, IIT Bombay158.Anand Manarkattu ( Alumnus, IIT Bombay)159.Anurag Mehra, Professor, Chemical Engineering, IIT Bombay160.Sushil K Mishra, Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering, IIT Bombay161.Aditya Shankar, Student, Electrical Engineering162.Soham Khadatare, Student, Civil Engineering163.Anju Unnikrishnan, Doctoral Student, Department Of Chemistry, IIT Bombay.164.Ritu Sharma, Student, Department of Humanities & Social Sciences165.Urbashi Sarkar (Alumnus, IIT Bombay)166.Chitranshu Mathur (Alumnus, IIT Bombay)167.Ashok Kumar M, Alumnus, IIT Bombay168.Ajinkya Pandit, Alumnus, Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Bombay169.Ankit Udai, Undergraduate, Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Bombay170.Ramchandra Phawade, PDF, Dept of CSE, IIT Bombay171.M S Raghunathan, Distinguished Guest Professor, Department of Mathematics, IIT Bombay172.Anisha Bajaj, Department of Energy Science and Engineering173.Kunal Pareek (Alumnus, Chemical Engineering Department)174.Karthik Shekhar (Alumnus, Chemical Engineering Department)175.Mandar Gadre (Alumnus, Dept. of Metallurgical Engg. and Materials Science, IIT Bombay)176.Purushottam Dixit (Alumnus, Chemical Engineering Department)177.Poonam Argade (Research Assistant, IIT Bombay)178.Amal Sankar (PhD Scholar, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Bombay)179.Disha Bhanot, PDF, Tata Centre for Technology and Design, IIT Bombay180.Neelakantan, PhD student, Industrial Design Centre, IIT Bombay181.Rahul Sharma, Alumnus, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay182.Ishita Dasgupta, Alumnus, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay183.Siddhartha Ghosh, Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay184.Aviral Bhatnagar, Alumnus, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay.185.Rijin Rajan, Research Fellow, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Bombay186.Kishore Chatterjee, Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Bombay187.N. C. Narayanan, Professor, CTARA, IIT Bombay188.Ayyaz Siddique, PhD student, Mechanical Engineering Department, IIT Bombay189.Sai Thakur, Assistant Professor, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Tuljapur, Alumnus, IIT Bombay190.Shubha R, Alumnus, IIT Bombay191.Rakesh Kumar Ph.D Scholar HSS IIT Bombay192.Dibyendu Dutta, PhD Scholar, Dept of Chemical Engineering, IIT Bombay193.Ratheesh Kumar, Alumnus, IIT Bombay194.Rowena Robinson, Professor, Dept of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Bombay195.Dani Kalarikalayil Raju, M.Des student, IDC IIT Bombay196.Douglas Allen, Professor, Philosophy, University of Maine, USA, formerly Distinguished Professor Chair of Gandhian Studies, IITB197.Varun Kanade, (Alumnus, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, IIT Bombay)198.Dipankar, Faculty / Scientist, TREELabs and IITBombay199.D. Parthasarathy, Professor, Dept of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Bombay200.Sudeep K. S., Alumnus, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, IIT Bombay201.Sriram Srinivasan, Adjunct Faculty, CSE, IIT Bombay202.Maymon Madathingal, (Alumnus, class of 2004, IIT Bombay)203.Nitish Fatarpekar, Undergraduate, Department of Physics, IIT Bombay4. Anthropologist Talal Asad, in supportI am sad to hear of this news. In a democracy no one should be brutalised by the police – male or female, Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, or Muslim. A university campus is an especially protected place, and there minority students need special protection against physical and psychological mistreatment. In a democracy, it is up to the university authorities to protect students and to try to understand their grievances, not to punish them and certainly not to use police against them. The accounts I hear from you as well as from my Indian friends about police violence in university campuses, whether in JNU or in HCU, is very disturbing. You have my complete sympathy and support. This kind of authoritarian behaviour will definitely damage India’s reputation internationally.All good wishes to you and your comrades.