Protests Erupt Following Deaths of Sanitation Worker and Office Assistant in UoH

Hyderabad: Student and worker unions of University of Hyderabad held protests on Friday after a sanitation worker died by suicide and an office assistant died on the campus.

Praveen M., 40, died by suicide on December 12 at about 3 pm during working hours. Found unconscious, he was rushed to a health care centre and then to a hospital in Nallagandla where he died on December 13

Students and workers union blamed the structural failure of the administration and alleged inhumane treatment by the higher authorities for the suicide. They said that Vinod Kumar, assistant of the head of the Hindi department, died on December 11 as he feared asking for leave when he felt uneasy in his chest.

"After lunch time, he experienced tightness of his chest and slight pain and thought it was acidity and dismissed it. When we saw his condition, we asked him to go home and he said he couldn’t afford to ask for leave due to fear of being scolded or fired," a PhD student told Deccan Chronicle.

Moments later he was found dead in the toilet. "It was a heart attack," another student claimed.

"The lack of adequate workers, immense work pressure and harassment by authorities have resulted in these deaths," said a third student and added that they will fight against the 'anti-student, anti-worker administration' to ensure justice isdelivered to both the workers who died due to the 'oppression and negligence of the university authorities.'

The students demanded that the administration conduct a free and fair inquiry into the deaths and offer proper solutions to the families of the deceased, including financial assistance, job, etc.

One of the workers said that they were treated like "slaves" with no proper worker rights or empathy. "Apparently, they were made to sign a blank paper which was later filled to say that the worker's job can be terminated if he/she misses work or is late the next time," one student told Deccan Chronicle.

"Praveen was one of the most dedicated workers on campus. We remember how, even during the Covid-19 pandemic, he was selflessly doing his job without worrying about his own safety," recalled another student.

Both Praveen and Vinod were the only breadwinners of their families, students said. While Praveen is survived by his wife and three children Vinod has two children.