Pune: Vedant Sonune (18), a second-year arts student from Modern College residing at the PMC-run students ’ hostel on Ghole Road, wanted to become a police officer to give his parents in Jalna a better life. He died on Aug 3. His uncle Nana Pande said Vedant cleared the police recruitment physical exam in Thane but succumbed to dengue-induced encephalitis and multiple organ failure.
He added, “On Aug 1, he fell ill and his friend admitted him to Aundh Government Hospital. By the time I arrived, he had slipped into coma. We shifted him to Poona Hospital.
His parents never got to speak to him before he died.” Vedant’s hostel mates blamed PMC’s neglect towards cleanliness in the hostel for his death . The students pointed to another case on July 31 wherein a second-year engineering student passed away of suspected jaundice.
They said nothing is done despite complaints to deputy commissioner of PMC’s social welfare department Nitin Udas and hostel rector Jitendra Pawar about clogged toilets and bathrooms, unclean water, bed bugs, rodents, unclean surroundings and waterlogging, and exposed electrical wires. Both Pawar and Udas denied the allegations. State chief coordinator of MNS Prashant Kanojia said, “So many hostelites here have fever.
Just before our protest, they installed a water purifier and cleaned up the place.” Activist Kuldeep Ambekar has written to the State Human Rights Commission requesting an investigation and suspension of officials. Pawar said stu.