A sociology student at a Colombian university has been killed by the explosion of a home-made bomb.
Juan Camilo Agudelo, who attended the University of Antioquia in the country’s second-largest city, Medellin, was taken to hospital after suffering serious wounds at around 11:30 am on Wednesday, according to newspaper El Pais.
The Secretary of Security of Medellin, Ivan Dario Sanchez, said that the student died minutes after arriving at hospital San Vicente de Paul. The explosion occurred in Block 25 of the Architecture department at Nacional University.
“The information is imprecise,” he said. “They are talking about wounds but we still cannot confirm that.”
The student was allegedly part of a student group that was “training” other students to manufacture home-made explosives, which could be the reason why he – a student of the University of Antioquia – was in Nacional University.
University students are protesting in solidarity with medical workers against a healthcare reform bill that is being discussed in Colombia’s House of Representatives, having already passed through the Senate.
MORE: Health sector workers take to streets as Santos calls for quick passage of reform bill
The capital Bogota has seen violent exchanges between student protestors and anti-riot police (ESMAD). News network Noticias Caracol reported on Wednesday that 50 hooded protesters were throwing home-made bombs at ESMAD vehicles, who in turn fired water cannons and tear gas. One ESMAD policeman has been injured.
“All these protests going on at the moment are being used by some to spread violence,” said Medellin official Sanchez.
The University of Antioquia sent a tweet saying that “The UofA is profoundly sad about the death of the student Juan Camilo Agudelo. Solidarity with his family, friends, and class-mates.”
La #UdeA lamenta profundamente la muerte del estudiante Juan Camilo Agudelo. Solidaridad con su familia, amigos y compañeros.
— UdeA (@UdeA) October 30, 2013
On February 10, 2005, during protests against the free trade agreement with the USA, there was an explosion in the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Antioquia that killed two students, Paula Andrea Ospina and Magaly Betancur.
Sources
- Muere estudiante tras explosión en la Universidad Nacional en Medellín (El Pais)
- ESTUDIANTE MURIÓ TRAS EXPLOSIÓN EN LA UNAL MEDELLÍN (ADN)
- Al menos 50 encapuchados causan disturbios en Universidad Nacional (Noticias Caracol)
