Bengaluru: The death of a first-year postgraduate student in a road accident inside Bengaluru University‘s Jnana Bharathi campus has triggered widespread protests, with hundreds of students demanding urgent measures to improve road safety within the university premises.
Twenty-three-year-old Manasa, a native of Nanjangud in Mysuru district and a first-year postgraduate student in the Department of Visual Arts, succumbed to injuries after being hit by a speeding autorickshaw while crossing the road near the Gandhi Marga canteen. She was rushed to a private hospital in Nagarbhavi but died on Wednesday.
Police have registered a case under Section 106 (causing death by negligence). The autorickshaw driver was arrested and later released on bail.
Students demand safer campus roads
Following the incident, students and faculty members gathered under the banner “Justice for Manasa”, urging the university administration to take immediate action to prevent similar tragedies.
A memorandum submitted to the Vice-Chancellor called for restricting public vehicle movement along Gandhi Marga, one of the busiest roads on the campus. If a complete ban is not feasible, the protesters suggested introducing one-way traffic and installing speed-control barricades at regular intervals.
The students also sought financial assistance for Manasa’s family, reimbursement of her medical expenses and swift justice in the case.
Safety concerns raised over Gandhi Marga
Members of the Department of Visual Arts said the tragedy has exposed long-standing safety concerns on the campus. They pointed out that Gandhi Marga has witnessed several accidents due to speeding vehicles and reckless driving.
According to the memorandum, roadside vendors operating near the canteen and the Northeast Girls’ Hostel often cause vehicles to stop abruptly, increasing the risk of accidents.
Students stressed that the university has a responsibility to ensure the safety of everyone on campus and warned that delaying corrective measures could lead to more such incidents.
The protest has once again drawn attention to the need for stricter traffic regulation, improved pedestrian safety and better infrastructure within one of Karnataka’s largest university campuses.