A student's death at Rajasthan Technical University (RTU) in Kota, Rajasthan, triggered protests on campus on Thursday, with police using force to disperse agitating students. The students accused the university administration of negligence and demanded accountability over the circumstances surrounding the death.
The deceased student, a first-year Information Technology student from Jaipur, was found dead in his hostel room. Some students alleged that he had died following a snakebite on the campus, claiming that snakes had been spotted on university premises on several occasions. However, the university administration suggested that he might have suffered a cardiac arrest. Officials said the exact cause of death would be established after the postmortem examination.
The incident prompted students to stage a sit-in protest, demanding the removal of chief warden DK Yadav. They alleged that the campus dispensary closes at 2 am and that doctors are often unavailable when medical assistance is needed. According to the protesters, the lack of timely medical care could have contributed to the student's death.
Responding to the allegations, Yadav said university staff rushed to the student's room after finding him unresponsive and arranged to take him to a hospital in an autorickshaw. He added that doctors had indicated the student might have died in his sleep between 4 am and 6 am. He maintained that the circumstances would become clearer once the postmortem report was available.
As the protest intensified, police officials attempted to persuade the students to disperse peacefully. However, tensions escalated when the protesters refused to end their demonstration. Police subsequently used force to bring the situation under control. Officials alleged that some students had started throwing stones during the confrontation.
Additional Superintendent of Police Subhash Chandra Mishra said the protesters wanted the vice-chancellor to visit the spot so they could present their demands directly. Several rounds of discussions were held between the students and the authorities.
Following the talks, the vice-chancellor agreed to some of the students' demands, although a complete agreement could not be reached. The students eventually called off their protest.
Police assured the protesters that the circumstances surrounding the student's death would be investigated impartially.
The incident has raised concerns among students over campus safety, the availability of emergency medical services and the university administration's preparedness to deal with potential health and safety risks. The postmortem findings are expected to help establish the cause of death.
Reader Comments 0