Pune: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Amit Thackeray strongly criticized the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Saturday (September 14) for its alleged negligence in the tragic deaths of two students at the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Hostel.

The students had succumbed to dengue two months ago, raising questions about the living conditions and health standards in the PMC-run hostel.

Thackeray, known for his direct style, visited the hostel on Saturday morning to assess the situation and interact with the students.

During his visit, he raised a series of tough questions for the PMC officials, asking why basic necessities such as fresh air, sunlight, and adequate meals were not being provided to the students.

He expressed concern over the apparent lack of urgency in addressing the issue and vowed to take the matter to Maharashtra's Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Two months earlier, the deaths of the two students had led to a wave of public outrage, with critics accusing the PMC of negligence. In response, the municipal administration initiated several measures, including health inspections and improvements to the hostel facilities. However, according to Thackeray, these efforts have been insufficient.

Thackeray met with the students and listened to their grievances. He was accompanied by former corporator Kishor Shinde, Ashish Sable, and Prashant Kanojia. During his visit, Thackeray also grilled Nitin Udas, the Deputy Commissioner for Social Welfare, about the PMC’s actions since the incident.

The MNS leader declared that he would personally take the students to meet with Chief Minister Shinde and bring their concerns to his attention.

He emphasized that the issue of student safety and well-being in municipal hostels should be treated with the utmost seriousness, urging immediate reforms to prevent further tragedies.