Ugandan student's death at Bengaluru Institute hostel sparks protests

A Ugandan student of the Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management (GITAM), Bengaluru, has tragically died from a fall from the sixth floor of the University's hostel.

A Ugandan student of the Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management (GITAM), Bengaluru, tragically fell to death from the sixth floor of the University's hostel. The incident has led to huge protests from students.

Agasha Asiina, a Ugandan citizen, who sadly died from falling from the 6th floor of the hostel building of GITAM University, Bengaluru. (Image Source: LinkedIN)

The deceased has been identified as Agasha Asiina, a woman in her early 20s, was a native of Mbarara, in the western region of Uganda and was a final-year student pursuing BBA at the GITAM University. Her accidental death has sparked several rumours and questions, with some suggesting that it was a suicide, while others said she fell accidentally from trying to reach her washed clothes that had fallen on a sheet on the sixth floor.

The shocking incident that happened late on Wednesday night triggered many students attending the university to go on protest, accusing the university management of failing to provide her timely medical help, and demanding them to install safety barriers in the building. Students went berserk at the loss and vandalised the college and hostel premises, hurling stones at windows and damaging the panes, after which they had to controlled by the police by way of a lathi charge.

Agasha reportedly had a room on the seventh floor. The unfortunate incident happened when she went to get her washed clothes back from the common passage where she had hung them. According to reports, she saw that a duppatta had fallen on the fibre sheet below and climbed onto it to retreive the dupatta. The fibre sheet gave way and Agasha fell to the first floor. On hearing a loud sound, students and the hostel guards rushed to the spot and found that Agasha was lying in a pool of blood.

Upon rushing to a nearby private hospital, Agasha was declared brought dead by the doctors. Police have told media that a case of negligence will be filed on the college if Agasha's parents want to press charges, otherwise a case of unnatural death will be registered. The incident has occurred under Bengaluru's rural police limits. 

The police have also told media that the Ugandan Embassy has been informed about the tragic incident, while Agasha's body has been kept in the hospital mortuary.