The Bombay High Court has directed Maharashtra to provide immediate medical care to tribal students on a 15-day hunger strike in Pune.
What Happened
The Bombay High Court on Saturday, August 29, 2026, directed the Maharashtra Government to ensure immediate medical care for tribal students in Pune who have been on hunger strike for 15 days. The urgent hearing was taken up after the Court was informed that the health of one of the protesting students had deteriorated.
The matter was heard by a Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad. During the hearing, Acting Chief Justice Ghuge made clear that the Court did not want the protest to result in the loss of a student’s life.
We do not want a single student to lose his or her life, the Acting Chief Justice remarked.
The Bench directed the State to provide appropriate medical facilities to the protesting students and ordered that they be admitted to hospital if required. The Court also directed the authorities to provide food to the students wherever necessary, notwithstanding their ongoing protest.
Advocate General Dr. Milind Sathe informed the Court that the State Government was already taking steps to ensure the safety of the students. While the Bench acknowledged the steps being taken by the State, it nevertheless directed the Government to ensure that medical facilities were made available to the protesting students.
The matter is pending as a Public Interest Litigation. The Bench has directed that the PIL be listed as the first matter before the Division Bench on Monday, August 31, 2026, for further consideration.
Background / Context
The students are protesting over issues concerning infrastructure and educational facilities for tribal students. The circumstances placed before the Court included concerns arising from conditions at tribal educational institutions.
The Court was informed about the death of a student allegedly due to food poisoning after consuming food served at a tribal ashram school. The Court was also informed of an incident in which three students died following snake bites.
The ongoing hunger strike has therefore brought the concerns of tribal students regarding infrastructure and educational facilities before the High Court. With the protest having continued for 15 days and the Court being informed about the deteriorating health of one student, the Bench intervened to ensure that appropriate medical care was made available.
The PIL will return before the Division Bench on Monday, August 31, 2026, when the Court is expected to consider the matter further.
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