SFI criticises GNLU authorities after student’s death

Ahmedabad: The Gujarat unit of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) on Thursday criticised the Gujarat National Law University (GNLU) in Gandhinagar authorities over the death of a third-year law student, accusing the administration of “institutional negligence” and “administrative apathy”.

The students’ body alleged that the university failed to provide adequate medical infrastructure and an effective emergency response system and the university authorities ignored concerns expressed by students, leading to a critical delay in medical assistance.

The 21-year-old law student from Punjab allegedly died by suicide on March 17.

According to SFI state secretary Nitish Mohan, the campus lacked essential medical infrastructure, including an on-campus ambulance, trained medical staff, and life-saving equipment. The students were reportedly forced to take matters into their own hands by breaking down the door to the hostel room, only to find him unresponsive..

““By the time medical personnel arrived, it was allegedly too late, and its members were untrained in CPR. The administration’s failure to act swiftly in an emergency cost the student his life,” he said, demanding an independent inquiry into the incident.

GNLU registrar Dr Nitin Malik rebutted the allegations, insisting that experienced nurses promptly arrived at the scene and found the victim unresponsive. “The victim was immediately rushed to the hospital in a university car, which is available round the clock for emergencies. We are now awaiting the inquiry committee report to determine what exactly transpired that night,” he said.

On March 18, the university suspended all academic activities and classes and held a condolence meeting. In an email to students, Vice-Chancellor Prof (Dr) S. Shanthakumar expressed his sorrow, stating, “His passing is an immense loss to our GNLU community, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and all those who knew him.”