HYDERABAD: Making his first public appearance after an alleged bid to assassinate him hit news headlines a few days ago, Prof Podile Appa Rao, the vice-chancellor of University of Hyderabad, appeared relaxed in the company of colleagues while his two personal security officer (PSO) stood guard about 20 feet away.
It has been three days since East Godavari Police announced the arrest of two former UoH students for an allegedly plot to murder VC Appa Rao by joining hands with Maoist party. Since then, the VC was out of reach with his mobile phone switched off most of the time.
However, on the sidelines of a press conference which he held on Wednesday at Somajiguda Press Club, the VC said his stay away from the city was not planned after the news about the arrest came out.
“My journey was already planned. My first concern was April 2 — the day on which we had to make presentation (on IoE) before Empowered Committee. That was our priority. I did not want my attention to be diverted to something else,” Rao said on Wednesday.