India, April 23 -- Higher and technical education minister Chandrakant Dada Patil has taken cognisance of the death of a student at the College of Agriculture in Pune; and has written to agriculture minister Dattatray Bharane, urging immediate action, a detailed inquiry, and financial assistance for the bereaved family.

The intervention comes almost a month after the death of 23-year-old Chaitanya Chavan, a first-year MBA student at the College of Agriculture. Chavan, originally from Beed district, died after allegedly suffering a severe electric shock from a water cooler in the college mess on March 14. He succumbed to his injuries on March 24 after being on life support at a Pune hospital.

The incident triggered protests on campus, wi...