'Not A Single Student Should Die': Bombay HC Orders Medical Care For Tribal Students On Hunger Strike

Not a single student should lose their life, declared the Bombay High Court on Saturday, as it directed the Maharashtra government to guarantee the safety and immediate medical care for tribal students on a 15-day hunger strike. The high court's division bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad, mandated the state to have doctors available at all times and to relocate protesting students to hospitals when necessary.

The bench also emphasized that students should be provided with food if deemed medically necessary, despite continuing their fast. The matter came before the bench after reports of a deteriorating student's health in Pune, and the court expressed concern over losing any more lives. The students are protesting over alleged infrastructural, food, safety, and educational deficiencies at tribal ashram schools and hostels, with incidents including three snakebite-related deaths and critical conditions following food consumption at an ashram school.

The state government assured swift action after a meeting between Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the Tribal Development Minister, and student representatives. The court instructed the state to ensure timely medical attention for fasting students, observation, and hospitalization if required, and food on medical advice. The government will submit minutes of the meeting to the court for further hearing.