Bangalore University student injured in accident on campus passes away, student threaten agitation

After almost a two-week-long battle, Shilpa Shree, the girl who was crushed by a BMTC bus on the Jnanabharti campus,  passed away on Sunday morning, October 23.

Shilpa, who was 22, was pursuing her MSc in Mathematics at Bangalore University. After her critical injuries, she was in a medically-induced coma. Sources told TNIE that she passed away around 4.30 am. The last rites were conducted on Sunday afternoon.

The bus had run over her while she was trying to board it on the campus. Most of the lower half of her body had been severely damaged. The accident triggered intense protests by students and faculty members of the university, who demanded that vehicle movement inside the campus be restricted and other safety measures be taken.

Hailing from Bangarpet in the Kolar district, in Karnataka, she was staying in the university hostel. BMTC was bearing her medical expenses, while the university had announced that it will take care of other expenditures.

Meanwhile, another student who was also injured on the infamous road inside the campus was shifted to the National Institute Of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) recently for treatment of his head injury. Ramanjinappa G, a 40-year-old research scholar pursuing his PhD at the university, is currently in a coma.

A source had told TNIE that Ramanjinappa was injured after he went over a speed-breaker that was not marked properly. It was shortly after Shilpa’s accident. He has suffered a brain haemorrhage as well as a chest and lung wound. “He was shifted to NIMHANS on October 21. He is still in the ICU. Doctors said that though his condition has remained unchanged, he is showing signs of responsiveness as his hands and legs are shaking,” the source added.

Students threaten to resume protest
Students of Bangalore University (BU) have threatened to resume their protest if a meeting is not held with the government soon. Following the death of Shilpa Shree, a BU student who was run over by a BMTC bus, students have stated that they will resume their protest if safety measures aren’t taken by the government on campus.

The students are also demanding that the government give compensation of at least Rs 1.5 crore to Shilpa’s family, as well as offer her family members government jobs, to ensure they are well taken care of. “We were given assurances by Cooperation Minister ST Somashekar and Housing Minister V Somanna that they would fix a meeting between the Chief Minister and the university. However, this has not happened so far. Since we are on leave, we are giving time until Thursday to call a meeting, failing which, we will call for a strike,” Lokesh Ram, Vice President of the BU PG and Research Scholars' Union, told TNIE. 

“It remains to be seen if a meeting will be held. However, if there is no action from the government or ministers’ side, we will go ahead with our protest,” Lokesh told TNIE.