Hyderabad (PTI): Former BJP MLC N Ramchander Rao, an accused in the 2016 Rohith Vemula suicide case, has alleged that Congress and Left parties had tried to gain political mileage by linking the death of the University of Hyderabad student to the BJP.

Vemula's suicide was painful but the attitude of the Congress and Left parties was deplorable, Ramchander Rao said on Friday.

Rao's remarks came after Telangana Police filed a closure report in the case before a local court and gave a clean chit to the accused, including Rao.

Police claimed Vemula was not a Dalit and died by suicide in 2016 as he feared that his "real caste" would be discovered.

ALSO READ: Rohith Vemula not a Dalit, says police in closure report

Meanwhile, a group of students protested at the University of Hyderabad and raised slogans against the BJP, Union Minister Smriti Irani and former university vice-chancellor Appa Rao Podile, who was also among the accused persons.

In a social media post, the Students' Federation of India (SFI) said the closure report filed by police "on Rohith Vemula's institutional murder is an exercise in irony".

"The Congress government and its police are supporting the false narrative of the BJP by tagging Rohith not to be a Dalit despite lack of proof of the same," it said.

Vemula's family said on Friday that it will legally contest the closure report.

His brother Raja Vemula claimed the district collector has to decide on the family's SC status.

Following this, police said they have decided to conduct further investigation into the case.

A petition will be filed in the court concerned requesting the magistrate to permit further investigation into the case, Telangana Director General of Police (DGP) Ravi Gupta said in a statement.

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Mumbai, May 17: Lucknow Super Giants beat Mumbai Indians by 18 runs at Wankhede Stadium on Friday.

Mumbai Indians thus finish last in the 10-team table with only 8 points from 14 games.

Aided by a 109-run partnership between skipper KL Rahul (55 off 41 balls) and Nicholas Pooran (75 off 29 balls), LSG scored a commendable 214 for 6.

The visitors then struck at regular intervals to stop MI at 196 for 6 despite Rohit Sharma's 68 off 38 deliveries and Naman Dhir's reargaurd 62 off 28 balls.

Earlier, Rahul first steadied the innings with Marucs Stoinis (28) after the fall of his opening partner Devdutt Padikkal for a duck and then stitched a century stand with West Indian Pooran, who clobbered eight maximums and five boundaries.

Spinner Piyush Chawla (3/29) and Sri Lankan pacer Nuwan Thusara (3/28) emerged the most successful Mumbai Indians bowlers, grabbing three wickets each.

Brief scores:

Lucknow Super Giants 214 for 6 in 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 75, KL Rahul 55; Piyush Chawla 3/29, Nuwan Thushara 3/28).

Mumbai Indians 196 for 6 in 20 overs (Rohit Sharma 68, Naman Dhir 62 not out; Ravi Bishnoi 2/37).