A postgraduate student of Bangalore University, Manasa, 23, died on Wednesday after sustaining critical injuries in a road accident inside the Jnanabharathi campus nearly a week ago. The incident has triggered large-scale protests by students and faculty members demanding stricter traffic regulations and a ban on public vehicles inside the campus.
Manasa, a first-year postgraduate student in the Department of Visual Arts, was allegedly struck by a speeding autorickshaw on July 30 while crossing Gandhi Marg near the campus canteen after completing her examination. She suffered severe head injuries and was admitted to the intensive care unit of a private hospital in Nagarabhavi, where she succumbed to her injuries on Wednesday morning.
Following her death, hundreds of students and faculty members gathered under the banner ‘Justice for Manasa’, accusing the university administration of failing to ensure road safety. The protesters submitted a memorandum to the Vice-Chancellor, demanding immediate measures to prevent similar incidents. They demanded a complete ban on public vehicular movement inside the Jnanabharathi campus or, alternatively, the introduction of a one-way traffic system on Gandhi Marg, installation of speed breakers and barricades, diversion of through traffic via the Zoology Department road, and adequate compensation for Manasa’s family.
The protesters alleged that Gandhi Marg, a narrow road connecting the university administrative block with Nagarabhavi Circle, witnesses heavy two-way traffic and frequent congestion. They also claimed that speeding vehicles and roadside vendors contribute to unsafe conditions. Bangalore University Vice-Chancellor C. Shivaraju expressed condolences and assured the protesters that appropriate action would be taken soon after discussing the issue of restricting public traffic on Gandhi Marg Road at the state government level and in the university syndicate meeting.
The Vice-Chancellor also announced that the family of the deceased student would be provided compensation by the university and that health insurance facilities would be provided to all students of Bangalore University immediately. This incident is not the first of its kind, as in 2022, a postgraduate student, Shilpashree, was run over by a BMTC bus inside the campus and succumbed to her injuries after battling for life in hospital for 11 days.
