Late night on November 25, 2025, around 4,000 students at the VIT Bhopal campus in Sehore district, Madhya Pradesh, erupted in protest, alleging a widespread jaundice outbreak was caused by poor hygiene, contaminated water and substandard food in hostels.
The unrest escalated dramatically, with students reportedly setting several vehicles including a university bus, cars and a motorbike on fire. In addition, property damage extended to campus buildings and the chancellor’s bungalow.
According to police and campus officials, multiple police stations responded to the disturbance, and the university announced a holiday for students until at least November 30.
Students claim that in the weeks preceding the protest, dozens had reported symptoms consistent with jaundice, including yellowing of eyes and skin, vomiting, and weakness. They attribute these illnesses to allegedly contaminated drinking water, unhygienic mess food, and poor sanitation in hostels.
They further allege that when they raised complaints, security staff and hostel guards ignored them and, in some instances, resorted to intimidation or assault. These grievances, students say, went unanswered by college administration, prompting frustration and anger that culminated in protests.
Campus authorities confirmed that 22 students had been diagnosed with jaundice and treated; they denied reports of any fatalities. The university said water and food samples had been tested and found “within acceptable limits,” and urged people not to spread rumours of deaths.
Health and district officials reportedly inspected the campus between November 23 and 25. According to a statement, sanitation practices, mess facilities, and water quality were reviewed and the officials reportedly expressed “satisfaction with hygiene standards,” though students remain sceptical.
In the wake of the violence and safety concerns, the university ordered immediate campus closure until November 30. Police presence remains deployed around the campus to maintain order.
Young adults in communal living conditions can be at greater risk for rapid spread of infections like hepatitis A (which causes jaundice), especially when sanitation, water treatment, and mess-hygiene are perceived as inadequate.
Though authorities tested water and food quality, the conflicting claims, between students’ illness and administration’s safety certification, highlight the difficulty of establishing causal links under pressure.
(Rh/TL)
