A venomous snake measuring five feet was discovered in a Rajasthan Technical University (RTU) hostel bathroom, raising serious concerns about campus safety. This incident occurred just one day after a first-year student, Akshit Sharma, died in the hostel, prompting students to protest against the university's safety and infrastructure conditions. The protest lasted two days and ended after the university provided written assurances addressing the students' demands.
- A five-foot venomous snake was found in the RTU hostel bathroom.
- Student Akshit Sharma died in the hostel; death ruled as natural pending postmortem.
- Students protested campus safety and infrastructure issues for two days.
- University gave written assurances and removed the chief warden.
- Demands include medical facilities, animal rescue team, sanitation, and infrastructure repairs.
What happened with the venomous snake at RTU?
On Friday, a local snake catcher rescued a five-foot-long venomous snake found in the RTU hostel bathroom. The snake was safely released into nearby forests. The snake catcher, Govind Sharma, noted that more snakes were present in and around the hostel and mess areas but retreated into holes when he arrived.
Did the snake cause the student's death?
RTU Vice-Chancellor Prof Nimit Choudhary clarified that the student, Akshit Sharma, did not die from a snake bite. Instead, the death was due to a natural cause, specifically a silent cardiac arrest. The exact cause will be confirmed after the postmortem report is received.
Why did students protest at RTU?
Students began protesting on Thursday after the death of their fellow student and the discovery of the snake. They raised concerns about campus safety and infrastructure, demanding improvements such as round-the-clock medical facilities with a full-time medical officer, comprehensive repairs and renovations of hostels and campus buildings, and a dedicated 24x7 animal rescue team.
How did the university respond to the protests?
The university administration engaged in talks with the protesting students. Vice-Chancellor Choudhary provided written assurances that all demands that could be fairly met according to norms would be addressed promptly. The university also removed the chief warden, Prof D K Yadav, from his post following the protests.
What other demands did the students make?
Besides safety and medical facilities, students requested comprehensive sanitation and maintenance across the campus, guaranteed food security, uninterrupted clean drinking water supply, and functional streetlights along all campus paths.
What challenges did the university mention regarding addressing the demands?
The Vice-Chancellor acknowledged that procedural requirements in a government institution can slow down administrative actions. However, he assured students that the administration was working to accelerate processes and shared their goals for infrastructure upgrades.
What is the current status of the protest and campus safety?
The two-day student protest ended on Friday evening after the university provided written assurances and district administration officials witnessed the agreement. The university is prioritizing the fulfillment of all legitimate demands to improve campus safety and infrastructure.
