The University of Florida indefinitely suspended Krishna Lunch from campus on Friday, halting the volunteer organization’s partnership with the school for the first time in 55 years.  

The suspension, which Krishna announced in a Facebook post on March 1, came a few days after its box truck hit a 19-year-old female student on Buckman Drive near University Avenue.  

The student was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries, and the Gainesville Police Department’s investigation into the accident is still ongoing.  

Krishna’s owner, Adi Syama, 36, told Mainstreet the university did not provide a reason or a timeframe for its suspension of Krishna Lunch, but that it was most likely related to the accident. 

“We just hope that the lady that was involved in the incident definitely gets better soon, and we’re praying for the healing of the whole university, for all the students, including our volunteers,” he said. 

Syama said Krishna has been in the Plaza of the Americas on campus since 1971 and never missed a day of school. The volunteer-run nonprofit, started by the Hindu Hare Krishnas, delivers vegetarian meals to hundreds of students daily and to the greater Gainesville community. 

Syama said the university’s memorandum of understanding with the organization allows it to suspend the partnership without reason. But he said Krishna still intends to meet with the university to learn more about the suspension, although it hasn’t reached out yet. 

“We are fully collaborating. And if they ask us to suspend for a bit, you know, it’s alright. That’s understandable,” he said. “We feel really bad about what happened; everybody’s still quite shaken, and that’s why we’re somewhat understanding of the university. But at the same time, we’re looking to resolve it.” 

Syama said Krishna has continued delivering to homeless shelters, its Krishna Cares program and leading prayers on campus like it used to do with Krishna Lunch. But the group has kept its box truck parked since the collision.  

Even before the accident, Syama said Krishna had been looking to replace the box truck with four or five custom-made electric carts.  

Syama said the carts should arrive from overseas this month and hopefully help make amends with the university and keep students safe.  

“On the week of the accident, a police officer told me there were three more accidents [with students] that week. Three more,” Syama said. “Especially Buckman Drive. They put signs up there, they put a lot of stuff to, you know, make sure that students will be a little more careful.” 

The university did not respond to comment in time before the publication of this story.