Mumbai Police Send Tribal Students Back To Nashik After Protest Over Ashram Schools, Hostel Facilities

Mumbai Police on Tuesday moved a group of tribal students out of Mumbai after they had staged a protest demanding better facilities in tribal hostels and ashram schools, along with an inquiry into alleged deaths of students in such institutions. The students, who had been staying at the Maharashtra Congress headquarters, Tilak Bhavan in Dadar, were taken away in private buses and sent back towards Nashik, according to police officials.

Long March Began In Nashik

The students had reached Mumbai as part of a long march that began in Nashik on September 28. They were seeking action on a range of issues, including inadequate facilities in ashram schools and hostels, scholarships, food quality and alleged deaths of students. They had also demanded the resignation of the Tribal Development Minister and the transfer of the Tribal Development Commissioner.

The protesters had planned to assemble at Azad Maidan and submit a memorandum to Governor Jishnu Dev Varma. However, they were not granted permission to hold the demonstration at Azad Maidan. The students subsequently took shelter at Tilak Bhavan from Monday after the Congress offered them accommodation at its Dadar office.

Congress Alleges Police Action

The Congress alleged that the police attempted to remove the students from the party office during the night and accused the government of using police force to prevent the protesters from raising their demands. Party leaders claimed that police personnel entered the premises and allegedly detained students from inside the building, including from the washroom area.

The party also alleged that a large police contingent had been deployed outside Tilak Bhavan for two days, with several vehicles and senior police officers stationed in the vicinity.

Police Deny Arrests

Police, however, denied that the students had been formally arrested or taken into custody. Officials said personnel were deployed outside the Congress office to prevent the students from leaving the premises and proceeding with an unauthorised protest. The students were subsequently taken from the area, made to board private buses and sent back to their residences in Nashik, officials said.

Videos of the incident circulated on social media showed police personnel escorting students towards vehicles amid a heavy security presence.

Students Flag Poor Facilities

The students have alleged that they have been agitating for several weeks over the condition of tribal educational institutions. They claimed that basic facilities in several ashram schools and hostels remained inadequate and that food supplied through central kitchens was also of poor quality.

One of their major demands is an independent inquiry into the deaths of students in ashram schools. Congress leaders cited a claim that around 600 students had died in such institutions over the past two years and demanded an impartial investigation. The figure, however, has been raised by the protesters and was not independently established in the material available.

The protesters also alleged that students were being subjected to police action while attempting to raise their grievances and demanded permission to hold a peaceful demonstration at Azad Maidan or, alternatively, to meet the Governor and submit their memorandum.

Despite being sent back from Mumbai, the students have indicated that their agitation is not over. They have announced plans to return to Mumbai on October 25 and resume their protest over their demands concerning tribal education, hostels and student welfare.

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