MYSURU: The death of an inmate of Maharani’s Girls Hostel due to suspected dengue sparked protests by students on Friday. The protesters alleged that Sanchitha M Aradha (20) of Periyapatna taluk, who was suffering from high fever, was not allowed to go home by the hostel warden until she paid the fees. After the second year BSc student returned to her native place, her parents took her to JSS Hospital where she battled for life for a week. She died on Friday noon. The hostel inmates pay `7,500 during admission and a monthly mess charge of `1,500.
“Though Sanchitha was suffering from high fever, the warden did not allow her to go home until she paid the hostel fees. Sanchitha could not arrange the money on time. A week ago her parents sent the money. After clearing the hostel dues, she went to her village”, said her roommates.
A professor of Maharani’s College said Sanchitha was suffering from light fever when she returned to her native.
District Vector Borne Diseases Control Officer Dr S Chidambar said the girl might have died due to viral encephalitis. “Dengue tests were negative on Tuesday. When we visited the hospital her condition was very critical. Only after going through the reports, it can be confirmed whether it was a dengue death” he added.
As the news of her death spread, inmates staged protests against the warden highlighting the “bad conditions” of the hostel. The hostel girls said five more girls are undergoing treatment at private hospitals and more than 15 others are suffering from high fever for the last two weeks.
“Since April we have been facing severe shortage of water. The tanks are not cleaned and weeds are not removed on the premises. We are fed up with the mosquito menace”, they said.