A 22-year-old postgraduate student of the Bangalore University's Jnanabharathi campus is critical after being run over by a BMTC bus on Monday morning.
The accident triggered instant protest by students who reiterated the long-standing demand of banning public vehicles into the campus. Varsity authorities then banned the entry of vehicles.
Shilpashree, an MSc Mathematics student at the university, who stays at the girls’ hostel, was trying to board the bus to reach her department located next to the administrative building when the bus ran over her.
Shilpashree is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Nagarabhavi. The university is bearing her medical expenses.
After the accident, the bus driver and conductor fled the scene abandoning the vehicle. Students went on a protest and blocked all entrances and exits to the campus throughout the day. They called for a ban on public vehicles entering the campus. The protesting students were taken into custody by the Jnanabharathi police.
"We need to regulate movement of public vehicles inside the campus," BU Vice-Chancellor Dr Jayakara S M said. "We will write to the government and also the BBMP about this."
Not the first accident
Varsity authorities and students said Shilpashree’s was not the first accident.
A Biochemistry student, also a boarder, met with an accident while riding a bike 10 days ago and succumbed to injuries days later. "As it was a Sunday, no one noticed how the accident happened," research scholar Lokesh Ram said.
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit in June, the BBMP removed at least 20 speed breakers on the campus, but put back barely a few. "We sent repeated communications to the BBMP, but it was of no use. To avoid fatalities, we will install speed breakers ourselves," a BU official said.
No ambulance on campus
In a place where thousands of students live and has roads that are public thoroughfares, no ambulance was available to shift the injured Shilpashree to hospital. Students said they waited for an autorickshaw to transport her. Many auto drivers refused to carry her. “It’s sad that there is no ambulance facility on campus,” a student lamented.