Odisha student dies after self-immolation over 'inaction on harassment complaint'

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 BEd student of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College, Balasore, died on Monday night, after fighting for her life for three days.

Meanwhile, police have set up a swift trial initiative (STI) team to expedite the probe into her death.

DIG of Police (Eastern Range) 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 20-year-old had accused the head of the Education department of the college 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.

Sahu was arrested by the police on Saturday, while Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College principal Dillip Kumar Ghose was taken into custody on Monday for abetment of the student's suicide.

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.

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.”

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi called the death of the college student an “organised murder” by the BJP system.

Taking to 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.

“Those who were supposed to protect her kept breaking her. Like always, the BJP system protected the accused and forced an innocent daughter to set herself on fire.”

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.