India, Aug. 30 -- The 17-day indefinite hunger strike by tribal students at the Manjari tribal hostel ended on Saturday after tribal development minister Ashok Uike met the protesters and provided written assurances on their demands.

Students from Pune, Nagpur and Nashik had begun the agitation on August 13 over changes to government tribal hostel rules. Their demands subsequently expanded to include hostel facilities and safety, tribal reservations, recruitment to vacant posts, appointments under the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), caste validity certificates and compensation for the families of three tribal girls who died of snake bites at an ashram school in Gadchiroli.

Shweta Irnak, one of the students who was ...