Pune tribal hostel hunger strike enters day nine: two students hospitalised

The indefinite hunger strike by students at the Government Tribal Hostel in Manjari, Pune district, entered its ninth day on Friday (August 21, 2026), with two protesters hospitalised due to dehydration and breathing difficulties. The students are pressing the Maharashtra government to withdraw a controversial resolution and address a range of long-standing grievances affecting the tribal community.

According to protest leader Navnath More, Vijay Bhanbdle (22) and Rahul Dhanwe (24) were admitted to Sassoon Hospital after their health deteriorated. They are currently undergoing treatment. The remaining three protesters on hunger strike are Nikita Metkar (22), Shweta Girnak (26), and Sharad Thokal.

Key demands

The protesters are demanding the withdrawal of a government resolution (GR) issued on August 5, which imposes age restrictions and conditions related to academic breaks. The students say these rules are unreasonable and hinder educational progress. They are particularly opposed to a provision that bars hostel residents from taking up employment.

“Why stop students from working part-time? Financial empowerment is necessary for some students. These students are over 18 years of age,” said protest leader Sharad Thokal, highlighting that many tribal students come from economically disadvantaged families and need to support themselves while studying.

The hunger strike also calls for the scrapping of a guideline that reserves 70% of hostel vacancies for students from the same district. The students argue this discriminates against tribal students from other districts who have limited educational options in their home areas.

Demands for justice and compensation

The students have demanded compensation of ₹1 crore each to the families of three girls who died of snakebites at a tribal residential school in Gadchiroli earlier this year. They are also seeking the registration of criminal cases for culpable homicide against officials held responsible for those deaths.

Additionally, the protesters are urging the government to implement recruitment for 12,500 tribal posts and to reinstate and permanently appoint PESA (Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas) employees who were relieved from service. These issues are seen as critical to the economic stability and welfare of tribal communities in the state.

The continued protest has drawn attention to systemic challenges faced by tribal students, including inadequate hostel facilities, restrictive rules, and the lack of employment opportunities. The students have vowed to continue their hunger strike until their demands are met, even as their health remains a concern.

Local authorities and district officials have been monitoring the situation. No immediate government response has been reported as of Friday evening. The protesters have stated that they remain open to dialogue but insist that the government must take concrete action on their demands.