The event generated a lot of discussion among a portion of the faculty. Many were sympathetic to the basic cause, but did not approve of the agitational approach. Others felt that the issue had been under discussion for a long time, and that it was a shame that such desperate measures were called for on such a trivial matter. Brief discussions were held with the help of a group of mediating faculty.
On the third day, Shrish Yadav (B.Tech IITK, and currently PhD student) and Dr Sandeep Pande joined the fast. They were also protesting the accusations made by the Deputy director against Shrish Yadav alleging violent acts against campus security a week back. The accusation of violence against Shrish Yadav caught the attention of a lot of students, who knew him to be a rather gentle person. Some students met the DD, but apparently not much transpired. In the evening, a very large group (200 or so) met the DD. Despite end sems ten days off, eighteen students joined the fast the next day, mostly on a 48 hour relay basis.
With the hunger strike in its sixth day, and ketone levels rising in some of the fasters, a group of mediating faculty managaed to defuse the crisis by getting some concessions to the cooperative, and a total retraction of allegations against Shirish Yadav and others. The hunger strike was lifted today, Sunday evening, around eleven PM. Peace returned to the Institute foyer, and the students to the library aisles.