Kota: Students at Rajasthan Technical University (RTU) called off their two-day protest Friday evening after Vice-Chancellor Prof Nimit Choudhary gave written assurance on their demands during talks held in the presence of the additional district magistrate (ADM), city.The protest followed the alleged snakebite death of first-year student Akshit Sharma in a university hostel Thursday. After calling off the agitation, students took out a candle march in the evening to pay tribute to the deceased.The protest had begun after Sharma’s death, with students demanding action on their grievances, including concerns over campus infrastructure and hostel conditions. They staged an overnight demonstration at the university’s main gate and insisted on written assurances from the administration.The situation intensified after a five-foot-long venomous snake was found in a hostel bathroom Friday, triggering panic on campus. The snake was rescued shortly afterwards.However, Vice-Chancellor Prof Nimit Choudhary denied that Sharma had died of a snakebite, saying the death appeared to be due to cardiac arrest. He said the actual cause would be established only after the post-mortem report was received.Despite multiple rounds of talks with the university administration, the students continued their protest, insisting on written assurances regarding their demands. The administration, however, declined to provide a written commitment.The university removed chief warden Prof D K Yadav from the post Thursday, following a demand by the protesting students.Speaking to TOI Friday, Choudhary said he had spent more than two hours among the protesters listening to their grievances. He said the university shared the students’ concerns over infrastructure upgrades and was working to address their reasonable demands.Explaining delays in administrative action, the vice-chancellor said procedural requirements at a govt institution often slowed the pace of work, but the administration was trying to expedite matters.
