Three days after mid-day reported the poor and unsanitary living conditions students had to suffer at Sant Dnyaneshwar Hostel of Social Welfare Department (SWD), the dispute between the hostel administration and the students blew up on Tuesday evening, with the students now alleging that they were manhandled and threatened by the rector’s son.

Students launched a protest outside the office of SWD state commissioner, Ranjeet Deval, objecting to the harassment they allegedly received at the hands of hostel rector Sangita Davkhar and her son. PICs/Dattatraya Adhalge

The government hostel, situated near Pune railway station, houses 120 students from Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities, as well as those from economically backward sections of society. mid-day had reported that the students had a list of 13 demands they presented to the SWD, including clean drinking water, cleaning the unhygienic dining hall and access to the library (Students deprived of basic comforts in government hostel, Sep 15).