Hyderabad, March 22 (IANS): Tension prevailed in Hyderabad University on Tuesday as students ransacked the office of Vice-Chancellor P. Appa Rao to protest his return from a nearly two-month leave.

The students barged into the office of the vice chancellor and ransacked the furniture. Raising slogans and blaming him for the suicide of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula, the students also attacked his car.

The attack occurred minutes before Appa Rao was to address media persons to announce that he has resumed duties as the vice chancellor.

The incident once again triggered tension on the campus as police rushed additional forces to prevent further violence.

The students resorted to protests since Tuesday following reports that Appa Rao is returning to resume duties as the vice-chancellor.

He had gone on leave on January 24 amid massive protests on the campus over the suicide of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula.

The Joint Action Committee for Social Justice, an umbrella grouping of various students' bodies, has blamed Appa Rao, central ministers Smriti Irani and Bandaru Dattatreya and a leader of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) for the suspension of five Dalit students, one of whom Rohith committed suicide on January 17.