Madhya Pradesh CM Orders Investigation After VIT Campus Violence

Violence erupted at the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) campus in Sehore, Madhya Pradesh, prompting Chief Minister Mohan Yadav to order a comprehensive investigation. The unrest began on the night of December 5, 2023, when over 3,000 students protested against alleged poor food and water quality, leading to several cases of jaundice among their peers.

In response to the escalating situation, CM Yadav instructed Krishna Gaur, the minister in charge of Sehore, to visit the campus immediately. Gaur’s mandate includes engaging with students and university management to ensure that grievances are addressed and normalcy is restored.

The protests turned violent as students torched an ambulance, a bus, and multiple vehicles. They also vandalised hostels and other university facilities. The unrest can be traced back to weeks of rising frustration among students, who claimed that their concerns regarding contaminated food and water had been ignored by the administration.

Students alleged that the immediate catalyst for the violence was the assault of some students by security personnel, which followed complaints made over the past month. Rumours that three students had died from jaundice intensified the situation, particularly after 23 cases of illness had already been reported in the previous two weeks.

Many students expressed disappointment with the university’s handling of their concerns. Reports indicate that the student grievance committee primarily addressed complaints from alumni, leaving current students without effective recourse. The situation escalated further when a video surfaced on social media, purportedly showing Dr. Prashant Kumar Pandey, an assistant professor, physically confronting students. The registrar confirmed that there had indeed been 23 jaundice cases reported over the last ten days.

Response and Developments

In light of the violence, police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Dr. Pandey and five other staff members under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. An investigation is currently underway.

Following the unrest, VIT announced a holiday period lasting until December 8, 2023. While many students left the campus, K.K. Nair, the registrar, clarified that vacating was not mandatory and that classes had merely been suspended. He reassured students that the situation had stabilised, and those who wished to remain on campus were welcome to do so.

The health concerns at VIT have drawn attention to the conditions within the university, which spans a 300-acre campus. Reports from students in various housing blocks indicate issues such as brown tap water and a lack of food variety, with some meals consisting mainly of dal and rice. Cleanliness in shared bathrooms has also been a point of contention.

As of now, 33 students have been treated for jaundice at Chirayu Medical College and Hospital in Bhopal, shedding light on the urgent need for improvements in campus health and safety standards. The unfolding situation at VIT has sparked a broader conversation about student welfare and administrative accountability within educational institutions.