Calcutta Medical College row: Students' hunger strike crosses 270 hours, solution still untouched

As many as 21 students of the state-run medical college's second, third and fourth years are on an indefinite fast for last 270 hours while three of them, Aniket Chatterjee, Sumit Dhara and Debasish Barman, have reportedly fallen sick.

"Health conditions of three of the 21 students on fast are deteriorating day by day, though neither our institute's authority nor the state health department are showing willingness to reach out to a solution and to end the impasse," an agitating student told IBNS.

Demanding allotment of rooms in newly built multi-storey boys' hostel, which was specially made for first year MBBS students, six students of the medical institute have gone on an indefinite hunger strike since July 10 while 15 more medical students joined the ongoing fast on Wednesday (July 18) night.

"We won't end our hunger strike until our demands are fulfilled," a protesting student said.

Agitating medical students have called for a mass convention at CMCH campus at 3:30 pm. on Sunday.

Meanwhile, acting principal of CMCH- Ramanuj Sinha, who was appointed after the institute's principal Uchhal Bhadra fell sick in his office during student agitation and was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday, resigned from his post on Friday.

Following his resignation, head of CMCH's Radiology department, Ashok Bhadra, has been made the new acting principal of the state government-run medical institute.

"Our talks to reach a solution are on with state health department as well as agitating students," newly appointed acting principal of West Bengal's one of the premier medical education institution, Ashok Bhadra, said.

(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha)