Student’s death while drinking water triggers violent protest at AU

Prayagraj: Students of Allahabad University (AU) held protests over the death of a final year B.A. student Ashutosh Dubey (22) under suspicious circumstances on Tuesday afternoon.

According to the students, the deceased went to drink water at the water cooler near the students' union building at the Arts Faculty.

While drinking water, Dubey collapsed after which he was rushed to SRN hospital where he was declared 'brought dead'.

Hundreds of students went on a rampage on Wednesday and staged a violent protest, damaging properties.

The students demanded FIR against the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, the DSW, and proctor, and sought their resignation.

They also sought compensation for the family of the deceased.

The students alleged that AU authorities failed to provide an ambulance on time and they had to take Dubey on an e-rickshaw. They also alleged that the security personnel did not allow the e-rickshaw to enter the campus.

Dubey's father has filed a complaint against the university administration at the Colonelganj police station.

Angry students first blocked the busy Motilal Nehru Road and later blocked the entry and exit from AU by blocking the library gate of the Arts campus. A group of student leaders went to various departments and forcefully closed them.

They also went to the proctor's office and indulged in an argument with the proctor and his team.

At the Sanskrit department, students broke earthen pots, furniture, etc. They also allegedly abused the female teachers of the department and manhandled them.

Videos of their violent behaviour made rounds on the social media platforms too. They also damaged the glass panes of the almirah and doors of the Central Library.

The protesting students, who had blocked the library gate, were accompanied by the father of the deceased.

The agitation ended after the police accepted Dubey's father's application in which he held the Dean of Student Welfare Shanti Sunderam and Proctor Rakesh Singh responsible for the death of his son. Police have assured registering a complaint on the basis of the application.

However, AU Public Relations Officer, Jaya Kapoor, rebutted the charges and said there was no negligence on the part of the university as an ambulance was dispatched immediately after the information was received.

With inputs from IANS