Health condition of Eflu protesters deteriorates, three put on IV lines

Hyderabad: The health of many protesting students of the English and Foreign Languages University (Eflu) deteriorated on Thursday, the fourth day of a relay hunger strike, following which they were shifted to a health centre and three were put on IV drip.

Students took the opportunity to attack the Eflu management, claiming that the officials tried to take advantage of the situation as the rules did not permit students to call in doctors, leaving them at the mercy of the varsity’s health centre.

The development comes a day after the proctor of the varsity was removed from his position, but students failed to relent and insisted on continuing their protests to seek justice for a victim of sexual assault that took place on the campus last month.

In a statement on Thursday, the students said, “The Eflu student body expresses its utmost concern and outrage at the shocking apathy and incompetence of the university health centre medical staff. When a student was sexually assaulted and beaten unconscious, the health centre staff treated her with utmost callousness and insensitivity. They endeavoured to suppress her account of the assault and discouraged her and her friends from making the matter public.”

They also alleged that two protesters were taken to the health centre for IV drips initially, while a third student was forced to call off her fast after being threatened with a forcible IV line. “The two strikers who were taken to the health centre witnessed first-hand the incompetence of the officials. Unsanitary practices were followed during the insertion of the IV line. Non-sterile cotton balls and band-aids were used, and gloves were not donned for the procedure,” the statement added.