Probe ordered into Annamalai varsity students’ deaths

A large police contingent has been deployed at Annamalai University in Chidambaram after 3 students from Bihar and Jharkhand died during an agitation at the university while the District Collector has ordered probe into the deaths.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday spoke to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi concerning the death of the students. Nitish Kumar asked Karunanidhi protection for students from Bihar and Jharkhand who are studying in different universities in Tamil Nadu. He also spoke to Union Home Minister P Chidambaram regarding the issue.

The violence at the Annamalai University was sparked off over the issue of death of the second year engineering student from Jharkhand due to alleged medical negligence.

According to the sources, Gautam Kumar from Jharkhand, a second year student of electronics and communication engineering was met with a major accident near the university campus. After the initial treatment at University Medical College Hospital, he was sent to JIPMER in Pondicherry. However, he was declared dead soon after.
 
Following this, a group of north Indian students started protesting against death of the student alleging the death was caused due to negligence and lack of medical treatment.

Authorities of university then called in the police following tension in the campus.

The protesting students started running when police chased them away. In the ensuing melee three students fell in the canal near the campus and drowned.

Two of the students were from Bihar and one was from Jharkhand. Both the state governments have announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 1.5 lakh to each of students’ families.