Amid Students’ Hunger Stirke, Sikkim University Students Union Holds Election

Anup Regmi, Roshni Gurung, and Shashi Shekhar Kumar is contesting for the position of SUSA president.

Despite an ongoing hunger strike and mounting protests by a section of students, the election to elect the new President of the Sikkim University Student’s Association (SUSA) is underway today, as tensions continue to rise on the campus.

Anup Regmi, Roshni Gurung, and Shashi Shekhar Kumar are contesting for the position of SUSA president.

The election, which began this morning, is being held against the backdrop of a hunger strike led by Jasiel Sethling Yakthungba, a third-semester International Relations student.

Yakthungba, a relative of Nirav Giri, a first-semester student who tragically died last month due to alleged lack of medical facilities on campus, has been demanding that the election be postponed until the circumstances surrounding Giri’s death are fully investigated.

It may be mentioned here that Nirav Giri collapsed on campus due to a heart attack on October 18. The incident has sparked widespread unrest and further galvanized students to take action.

Yakthungba launched a hunger strike on Friday in front of the administrative building at the 6th Mile campus in Gangtok, expressing frustration over the university’s dismissive attitude toward student concerns.

Joining Yakthungba in the protest, a large group of students has voiced broader concerns over administrative failures, including inadequate student welfare services, unresolved issues, and what they describe as mismanagement by the university’s Vice-Chancellor.

The protesters claim that holding the election in such a charged environment sends a message of disregard for student safety and well-being.

In an escalation of tensions, police arrived on campus late last night and picked up Yakthungba while he was on hunger strike, but later released him.

The protests resumed today with students gathering outside the university, demanding that their voices be heard as the election is being held.

The protesting students are demanding several key actions, with the most urgent being the reconstitution of the Fact-Finding Committee to investigate Giri’s death and the establishment of a more responsive student welfare system.

Despite multiple protests and appeals for change, students claim the administration has failed to take meaningful action.

Also Read: What’s Ailing NE Universities? Students of 2 Universities Sit On Indefinite Hunger Strike

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