Pune: Three FTII students on hunger strike hospitalized due to worsening health

As the hunger strike by students at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) continued into its fifth day on Friday, three protesting students had to be admitted to the hospital due to their worsening health.

According to the reports, for the past 40 days, the students of FTII have been engaged in protests, advocating for the reinstatement of a student from the 2020 batch who was suspended due to issues concerning low attendance and a backlog of subjects.

On Friday, Ashwin AK, a second-year student from Kerala studying in the editing department, was admitted to Sahyadri Hospital in Deccan Gymkhana. Subsequently, the protesting students reported that the health of two more demonstrators had worsened. Ashwin began experiencing signs of severe dehydration and felt weak after vomiting in the morning. However, his condition was stabilized by late afternoon.

In the meantime, the students participating in the protest asserted that an additional student has joined the hunger strike.

As per the reports, the students alleged that the administration had not visited them, stating that the four hunger-striking students would continue their protest. The administration has scheduled the Academic Council meeting for May 30.

The students have been engaged in protests against the recent decision made by the Academic Council, which involved expelling a student from the 2020 batch and admitting them to the next batch under discriminatory supernumerary conditions.