Third-year B.P.Ed student at Laxmibai National Institute of Physical Education (LNIPE), Shruti Upadhyay, died at Nemcare Hospital in Guwahati on September 8 following a prolonged illness.
Her death led to student protests over alleged medical negligence and demands for the resignation of the Registrar and ₹50 lakh in compensation for her family, continuing for 15 days.
The students staged demonstrations at the main Gwalior campus and, at one point, some undertook an indefinite hunger strike. As of this morning, September 24, the agitation has been called off following the Registrar-in-Charge’s resignation, according to social media updates from those following the protest.
Students allege delay in treatment
According to reports, Shruti had been experiencing severe abdominal pain for several days. Students said she approached the campus health centre but was allegedly given painkillers and told that her condition was related to ordinary stomach pain.
Students said she also sought medical leave from the warden to get outside treatment. They have alleged that the leave was not granted.
After her situation worsened, Shruti was taken to Sonapur District Hospital. Reports citing students say doctors there advised that she be shifted to a private hospital in Guwahati for further treatment.
Students alleged that the transfer was delayed while approval was sought from the LNIPE health centre. She was eventually taken to Nemcare Hospital, where she died.
Shruti’s family had also raised questions about the lack of communication from the institute about their daughter’s deteriorating condition. Her mother told NDTV that she was not initially informed about the seriousness of her condition and that Shruti herself called her from the hospital.
Protests spread to LNIPE’s Gwalior campus
Following Shruti’s death, students began protesting at the Guwahati campus, while a large group of students also staged a sit-in and hunger strikes outside LNIPE’s main campus in Gwalior.
The protests continued till September 23, with students demanding the resignation of the institute’s Registrar and ₹50 lakh in compensation for Shruti’s family.
Following the pressure, the Registrar resigned with immediate effect on September 23, according to local reports. The resignation addresses one of the central demands raised by the protesting students during the 15-day agitation.
Disciplinary action
When the protests first began, LNIPE had suspended its Chief Warden at the Guwahati campus. The institute had also terminated the services of a contractual doctor and nurse, according to reports.
LNIPE Vice-Chancellor Kalpana Sharma also visited the Guwahati campus following Shruti’s death and told reporters that several demands raised by the protesting students had been accepted.
“Some demands of the students have been accepted. The concerned teacher was suspended and the doctor and nurse at the Guwahati campus were removed. A committee has been constituted for an impartial inquiry. Besides, the institute will pay whatever medical bills the family submits,” she said.
Sharma also added that the Assam government had provided ₹4 lakh to Shruti’s family, while the institute had separately provided ₹5 lakh as compensation.
At the time of publication, there was no confirmation that the students’ demand for ₹50 lakh in compensation for Shruti’s family had been met.
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