In Brief
- Tribal students in Pune continue hunger strike; two hospitalised.
- They demand scrapping of 70% district-based hostel vacancy rule.
- They seek ₹1 crore compensation for families of three girls who died.
- The girls died of snakebites at a tribal residential school in Gadchiroli.
The hunger strike by tribal students in Pune has entered its ninth day, with two participants requiring hospitalisation due to deteriorating health. The protest began as a response to long-standing grievances concerning hostel admission policies and safety issues in tribal residential schools.
Among their key demands is the removal of a guideline that reserves 70% of hostel vacancies for students from the same district. The students argue this policy limits access for many tribal youths seeking education opportunities outside their districts.
Additionally, they are demanding compensation of ₹1 crore each for the families of three girls who tragically died of snakebites while attending a tribal residential school in Gadchiroli. The incident has raised serious concerns over the safety and welfare provisions in such institutions.
Authorities have yet to publicly respond to the ongoing protest or the students’ demands. The situation remains tense as the hunger strike continues, highlighting broader issues faced by tribal students in accessing education safely and fairly.
