Violent protests broke out at VIT University in Bhopal after students blamed poor hygiene and dirty water for a big jaundice outbreak on campus. Police said the situation worsened when about two dozen students fell sick over the past few weeks.
Tension peaked when nearly 4,000 students gathered on campus, where some set several vehicles on fire and damaged university property, including the chancellor’s bungalow, reported The Indian Express. The university is located along the Indore–Bhopal highway in Sehore district, Madhya Pradesh.
Students say no real action was taken
Students say the protests grew because the university management kept shutting down their complaints and never gave clear answers. One student said they repeatedly tried to talk to officials about the jaundice cases and the quality of food and drinking water, but no real action or assurance was given.
Students living in hostels also said staff and guards treated them badly whenever they raised concerns. They claimed they were threatened and even pushed around to keep them quiet.
According to students, this lack of care, the dismissive attitude, and the hostile behaviour from the staff made them increasingly angry. By Tuesday night, the frustration turned into violent protests. Students gathered outside hostels and at the main gate, shouting slogans against the management and expressing their anger over the administration’s failure to handle serious health and safety issues.
Police teams from Sehore and nearby areas were called in to control the situation and stop further damage.
College shut till Nov 30
Students say the administration ignored repeated complaints about unhygienic conditions and poor-quality hostel food. Many students reportedly had to buy bottled water because they felt the campus drinking water was unsafe.
So far, the university and district authorities have not released any official statement about the illness or the violence. Police said they are investigating what caused the sickness, the clashes, and the property damage. Further action will be taken after the inquiry.
Superintendent of Police Deepak Shukla said the campus is now calm. For safety reasons, the college will remain closed until November 30. Many students have already gone home. Police are preparing a list of sick hostel residents, and officials will take steps to address their issues once their applications are received.
