Sitamarhi Engineering Students Stage Campus Protest Following Classmate's Tragic Death
In a tragic incident that has sparked widespread outrage, engineering students at Sitamarhi Institute of Technology (SIT) in Gosaipur staged massive protests on Saturday following the death of their classmate during treatment at Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH). The protest, which lasted for approximately six hours, saw students gathering outside the principal's office, holding photographs of the deceased student and demanding accountability from the college administration.
Details of the Tragic Incident
The deceased student has been identified as Medha Parashar (22), a resident of Sultanganj in Bhagalpur district. Medha, who had taken admission to the institute in 2022, was a final-year engineering student residing in the girls' hostel on the campus. According to medical authorities, she succumbed to a brain hemorrhage while undergoing treatment at PMCH.
Hostel residents revealed that Medha had been unwell for three consecutive days prior to the incident and had remained confined to her room during this period. They alleged that neither the hostel warden checked on her deteriorating condition nor were her parents informed about her health situation. On Thursday morning, after having breakfast, Medha's condition took a sudden turn for the worse as her blood pressure rose sharply, causing severe anxiety followed by unconsciousness.
Students Allege Administrative Negligence
Angry students have leveled serious allegations against the college administration, claiming that their response to the medical emergency was inadequate and delayed. Janvi, a third-year student who witnessed the events, provided a detailed account of what transpired.
"On Thursday, Medha ate breakfast in the morning. After this, suddenly her health started deteriorating rapidly. Due to extremely high blood pressure, she began experiencing severe anxiety. We immediately approached the warden first, but they refused to help us," Janvi stated. "The warden told us, 'You people take Medha to the principal. I cannot help in this matter.'"
As Medha's condition continued to worsen, students took her to the principal's office. "After waiting for 10 minutes, we finally met the principal. We urgently requested his personal car to transport her to the hospital, but he refused to provide it," Janvi added, highlighting what students perceive as callous indifference from college authorities.
Administration's Response and Official Statements
College principal Sunil Kumar offered a different perspective on the events, stating, "Medha was taken to the hospital in a faculty member's car. My driver was not present at that time, so I did not give my car to the students." However, this explanation failed to satisfy the protesting students who continued their demonstration for several hours.
Senior administrative officials, including Sub-divisional Magistrate Anand Kumar, reached the campus to engage with the agitating students. "The administration will conduct a thorough probe into this matter. If anybody's negligence is found during the investigation, appropriate action will be taken," Kumar assured the students. He also noted that "the deceased student's family has not filed any formal complaint against the college at this time."
Police Deployment and Campus Tensions
As tensions escalated on the campus, police personnel were deployed to maintain order and prevent any untoward incidents. The protest, which began as a spontaneous expression of grief and anger, continued for nearly six hours as students demanded:
- Immediate resignation of the college principal
- A comprehensive investigation into the alleged negligence
- Accountability from hostel wardens and administrative staff
- Implementation of better medical emergency protocols
The incident has raised serious questions about the responsibility of educational institutions toward student welfare, particularly in medical emergencies. Students emphasized that the lack of proper medical facilities on campus and the delayed response from authorities contributed to the tragic outcome.
This protest at Sitamarhi Institute of Technology highlights growing concerns about student safety and administrative accountability in educational institutions across Bihar. The engineering community in the region has expressed solidarity with the protesting students, calling for systemic reforms to prevent such tragedies in the future.
