HYDERABAD: CCTV footage, that has gone viral on social media, has put a JNTU-Hyderabad professor in spot. The physics professor was seen assaulting a security guard after the latter objected to his car being parked in front of the building of a block. The guard is said to have suggested to the professor that he park his car at the designated place.
Dr S Venkateshwar Rao, along with his wife, later forced the guard into the Principal’s office, where he allegedly slapped him with his sandals and thrashed him. Then he made the guard apologise to him and make him fall at his feet. The incident took place on Saturday when the professor, along with his wife and son, drove up to Spandana Block on JNTUH campus in their car and left the vehicle in front of the building.
Security guard Kasiramulu claimed that he had only asked the professor’s son to move the car to the parking area as the vehicle was blocking the path. “He and his wife abused me and then they took me inside where he assaulted me and forced me to hold his feet and apologise.” said Kasiramulu.
The security supervisor said that Venkateshwar Rao was a short-tempered person and had behaved rudely with the staff in the past too. However, speaking to Express, the professor claimed that the guard had, in the first instance, abused his wife and son calling out their caste, ignoring many other cars parked in the place. “There is no specific area for parking of vehicles near Spandana Block.
As I am a Dalit, I was targeted. When I questioned him, the guard said he was directed to speak to my family in an abusive way and apologised. But to bring it to the notice of the principal, I took him inside where he himself apologised and requested me to not make it an issue. Both of us have compromised but some people at the university, who want to defame me and obstruct my growth, instigated him to dig it out again,” he said.
No case has been registered as the victim did not lodge a complaint with KPHB police station, under whose jurisdiction the university falls.