‘Professor is threatening...’: Odisha student’s letter to college surfaces

Days after raising allegations of sexual harassment against a senior faculty member, a 20-year-old student of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College in Balasore succumbed to her injuries early this morning after setting herself on fire outside the principal’s office.

According to reports by NDTV, in a letter to the college’s internal complaints committee on July 1, the student alleged that Assistant Professor Samir Kumar Sahu, Head of the Department of Education, had been harassing her mentally and sexually. She warned that if no action was taken, she would take her own life.

“For the last few months, the HoD of BEd department, Assistant Professor Samir Kumar Sahu, has been harassing me mentally. He is always threatening me that he will ensure I fail. He has also threatened to share my personal matters with my family. Most importantly, the HoD is repeatedly asking for sexual favours. I have denied this continuously. I have lost my mental peace and attempted suicide. In the future, if the college authority does not take any action, I will commit suicide and the HoD and the college authority will be responsible,” she wrote in the letter.

Despite her warnings, she attempted suicide four days prior by pouring petrol and setting herself ablaze. She was initially admitted to Balasore district hospital and later transferred to AIIMS Bhubaneswar, where she was put on mechanical ventilation. Despite extensive medical efforts, she passed away at 11:46 pm on July 14, AIIMS’ Department of Burn Centre said in a statement.