Odisha student who set herself afire over sexual harassment succumbs to injuries

BHUBANESWAR ;

THE Odisha college student who set herself ablaze following alleged sexual harassment by a professor died at AIIMS here, the hospital said. The second-year Integrated B.Ed student of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College, Balasore, died on Monday night, after fighting for her life for three days. She took the extreme step on Saturday over alleged inaction against the professor and suffered 95 per cent burns. Expressing grief over the student’s death, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said all culprits in the case will face the strictest punishment under the law. The woman was first admitted to the Balasore district hospital and then shifted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar for advanced treatment. She was undergoing treatment in the ICU, Department of Burn Centre, according to officials.

“The patient was resuscitated with IV fluids, IV antibiotics, intubated and put on mechanical ventilation. Despite adequate resuscitation and all possible supportive management, including renal replacement therapy at the Burns ICU, she could not be revived and was declared clinically dead at 11:46 pm on July 14,” the Department of Burn Centre said in a statement. In a post on X, the CM said, “I am deeply saddened to hear the news of the demise of the female student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College. Despite the government’s fulfilment of all responsibilities and the tireless efforts of the expert medical team, the victim’s life could not be saved.”

“I pray for the eternal peace of her departed soul and beseech Lord Jagannath to grant strength to her family to bear this irreparable loss. “I assure the family of the deceased student that all those guilty in this case will face the strictest punishment as per the law. For this, I have personally issued instructions to the authorities. The Government stands firmly with the family,” he said. President Droupadi Murmu, who was at AIIMS Bhubaneswar to attend its 5th convocation ceremony, paid an unscheduled visit to the burn and plastic surgery department on Monday evening and enquired about the student’s condition. After conducting the post-mortem at AIIMS on Monday night, the body of the student was sent to her native village Palasia in Balasore district amid protest by members of opposition BJD and Congress at the hospital premises. As soon as the hospital announced the death of the student, the BJD and Congress leaders and activists staged a protest inside the AIIMS campus late on Monday night. Police forcefully evicted the Opposition members to clear the road for movement of the vehicle carrying the body.

BJD leader Ipsita Sahoo alleged, “We want justice to be served to the victim. The Government has conducted the post-mortem of the body overnight to hide its failure and incompetence.” She also demanded the resignation of Higher Education Minister Suraj Suryabanshi for failing to provide justice to the female student. Congress youth leader Syed Yashir Nawaz said that the student moved from pillar to post to get justice. However, no one heard her. After failing in her fight against the system, she forcefully took this extreme step, he said. Nawaz also demanded the resignation of the Higher Education Minister alleging that he is incompetent to continue in his position. Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida along with local MLA Babu Singh visited the hospital on Monday night to console the family members of the victim. Fakir Mohan (Autonomous ) College Education Department HoD Samira Kumar Sahu and Principal Dilip Ghose have been arrested in the case.

Odisha CM announces Rs 20 lakh ex gratia for kin

BHUBANESWAR,

July 15 (PTI)

ODISHA CM Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday announced ex gratia of Rs 20 lakh for the family of the college student who died by setting herself on fire over alleged inaction on her complaint.

Majhi directed officers concerned to conduct a proper investigation into the incident so that all guilty are punished in accordance with the law, according to a statement issued by the CM’s Office (CMO).Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati also expressed grief over the death of the student.

“Shattered to learn of the untimely loss of a young student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College. Her passing is not just a tragedy—it is a stark reminder of the urgent need to safeguard our campuses,” he said in a post on X.

“The law will take its toughest course. Those responsible will face uncompromising punishment. My heart goes out to the grieving family. May they find strength in this hour of unbearable pain,” he added. The second-year B.Ed student died on Monday night at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar after fighting for her life for three days. She set herself on fire on the campus on Saturday over alleged inaction against a professor who allegedly sexually harassed her. She had suffered 95 per cent burns.

The principal and the HoD of the Education Department of the college in Balasore have been arrested in the case.

‘Swift trial initiative team to probe death of college student’

BHUBANESWAR/BALASORE,

July 15 (PTI)

POLICE have set up a swift trial initiative team to expedite the probe into the death of the college student who set herself on fire, an officer said.

DIG of Police Satyajit Naik said the STI team includes investigators, forensic experts and prosecutors who are working to collect the medical records and digital evidence and conduct forensic analysis to build a strong case.He said the STI team will ensure speed and coordinated investigation of the case.

The deceased student’s July 1 letter to the Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College’s Internal Complaint Committee is being treated as the FIR, an official said.

The police arrested Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College principal Dillip Kumar Ghose on Monday for abetment of suicide of the student. The head of the Education department of the college Samira Kumar Sahu was arrested on Saturday after the student set herself ablaze on the college campus.

The principal and the HoD have been booked under sections 108/3 (5) (abetment), 351 (2) (criminal intimidation), 75 (1) (iii) which deals with sexual harassment and sections 78 and 79 that deal with stalking and insult the modesty of woman. Section 108/3(5) of BNS deals with abetment of suicide under which a person can get a maximum of 10 years imprisonment.

Meanwhile, Balasore MP Pratap Sarangi said: “The principal did not function as he should. He did not monitor the investigation of the Internal Complaint Committee (ICC). The principal has serious fault for which the incident took this shape.” The BJP MP said the woman student had met him and he had suggested to her to file a police complaint.

The MP claimed that the “Principal had told the student that her allegation of sexual harassment was false...The student took this step after the principal’s statement.” The 20-year-old second-year B.Ed student of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College, Balasore had accused the Head of Education Department, Samira Kumar Sahu of sexually harassing her.

She set herself on fire on Saturday on the college campus over alleged inaction against the professor and suffered 95 per cent burns. The woman was first admitted to the Balasore district hospital and then shifted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar for advanced treatment.

Rahul says country wants answers not PM’s silence

NEW DELHI

July 15 (PTI)

CONGRESS leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Odisha college student who set herself ablaze following alleged sexual harassment by a professor died, and said the daughters of the country are burning and dying while the PM is sitting silent. Gandhi said the country does not want the PM

Modi’s silence, it wants answers.

His remarks came after the Odisha college student, who set herself ablaze following alleged sexual harassment by a professor, died at AIIMS in Bhubaneswar.

The second-year integrated B.Ed student of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College, Balasore, died on Monday night, after fighting for her life for three days.

She took the extreme step on Saturday over alleged inaction against the professor and suffered 95 per cent burns.

In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said the death of a daughter fighting for justice in Odisha is a “direct murder by the BJP system”. That brave student raised her voice against sexual exploitation -- but instead of justice, she was threatened, harassed and humiliated repeatedly, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said.

Those who were supposed to protect her, kept oppressing her, Gandhi said.

“Like every time, the BJP system kept protecting the accused - and forced an innocent daughter to set herself on fire,” he said. “This is not suicide, it is an organised murder by the system,” Gandhi alleged.

“Modi ji, be it Odisha or Manipur - the daughters of the country are burning, breaking down, dying. And you? Are sitting silent. The country does not want your silence, it wants answers,” the former Congress president said.

The daughters of India want security and justice, Gandhi added.

The woman was first admitted to the Balasore district hospital and then shifted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar for advanced treatment. She was undergoing treatment in the ICU, Department of Burn Centre, according to officials.