Rohith Vemula's foster grandmother dead

New Delhi, Feb 23: A 74-year-old woman, who is said to have raised the mother of dalit scholar Rohith Vemula, died in Guntur yesterday and the family claims it was because of the "tension" created by the probe into the student's death.

This is the "second blow" for the family, Rohith's younger brother Raja said on the death of Anjani Devi, who had raised Rohith's mother Radhika during her childhood.

"The person who raised us is no more. She was a heart patient and had undergone a bypass surgery. She was questioned for five-six hours a day (after the death of Rohith) by local authorities. And due to this tension, she died yesterday. Now, we are completely blank on what to do," said Raja, who had his mother by his side.

The family is in the capital for participating in a protest in support of the issues surrounding JNU and the Hyderabad Central University.

Crtical of those accusing Rohith as "anti-national", Raja asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clarify his stand on the issue.

He said Modi had termed Rohith's demise as "mother India losing a son" but "some people" in his government are branding him as "anti-national".

Raja also demanded that a law be drafted to end "caste-based discrimination" at universities across the country.

"What we went through, should not happen to any other Rohith in the country," he added. Raja, a post graduate in Applied Geology, said the family is hopeful they will get justice. The Dalit scholar's body was found hanging in a hostel room on Hyderabad University campus on January 17.

PTI