Odisha Student Who Set Herself on Fire Over Inaction Against Professor’s Alleged Abuse Dies

A 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore tragically passed away at AIIMS Bhubaneswar. She had attempted self-immolation on Saturday, protesting the lack of action on her sexual harassment allegations against a professor. Despite medical efforts, she succumbed to her injuries late Monday night.

The victim was a second-year B.Ed (integrated) student who set herself on fire outside the college principal's office. Her actions followed an Internal Complaints Committee clearing the accused professor, Samir Kumar Sahu, of any wrongdoing. The student had accused Sahu of making sexual advances and threatening her academic progress if she didn't comply.

Protests and Arrests Following Tragic Incident

The incident sparked widespread protests across the state. On Monday, students and political groups demonstrated outside Fakir Mohan College and other locations. The police arrested Dilip Ghosh, the college principal, for allegedly protecting Sahu and threatening the victim with expulsion. Sahu was also detained soon after the self-immolation attempt.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed his sorrow over the incident and promised strict action against those responsible. "I assure the family that all those guilty will face the strictest punishment as per the law," he stated on X.

Victim's Struggles and Institutional Inaction

The victim's father revealed that his daughter faced harassment from Sahu for six months. She had informed various authorities about her plight but felt unsupported by college officials. Her father mentioned that she wanted to file a police report due to distrust in the college's inquiry process.

On June 30, Sahu allegedly barred her from an exam due to low attendance. Despite writing to the principal about her ordeal, no immediate action was taken. The victim even reached out via social media to several officials, including Chief Minister Majhi, but received no response.

Internal Complaints Committee's Role Under Scrutiny

The Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) eventually submitted a report exonerating Sahu on July 10. However, concerns were raised about their investigation process. A higher education official noted that the ICC seemed to conduct a superficial inquiry without understanding its complexities.

The ICC's findings left the victim feeling hopeless about obtaining justice. On July 10, she confided in her father about her despair over the college's inaction: "They will not let me exist peacefully," she said.

Government Response and Future Measures

In response to this tragedy, Odisha's government instructed all universities and colleges to establish Internal Committees under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act within 24 hours. They must also display committee members' names and contact details prominently for awareness.

President Droupadi Murmu visited AIIMS Bhubaneswar on Monday evening to meet with the victim's parents and offer support for her treatment. Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati urged state authorities to act swiftly and responsibly to prevent similar incidents in future.

The National Commission for Women took suo motu cognizance of this case on July 13, demanding an action report within three days. Meanwhile, investigations by Balasore police and state CID continue into this tragic event.