'Odisha bandh' call over student's self-immolation as Opposition unites in protest

Hindustan Times

15-07-2025

At least eight political parties, including the Congress, have called for 'Odisha bandh' over the death of an Odisha student due to self-immolation, reported news agency ANI. Police personnel investigate after a female student allegedly set herself on fire over sexual harassment at Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College, in Balasore district, Odisha. (PTI file)
The development came hours after Congress and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) workers held protests in Bhubaneswar outside AIIMS, where the student was being treated since Saturday, July 12.
The 20-year-old student of Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore set herself on fire last week, claiming that no action was taken on the alleged sexual harassment by a professor in her college. Days after she sustained 95 per cent burn injuries, the student was declared dead on late Monday night.
Protesting outside AIIMS in Bhunaeswar, parties alleged a cover-up by the state government, and sought the sacking of Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj.
"Why was the postmortem done at night? The body was brought at night so that no one would come to know," said BJD leader Sulata Deo.
She also said that a delegation of BJD leaders met President Droupadi Murmu, seeking her intervention in the matter.
"It is shameful that atrocities are being done against women and tribals in Odisha...If such a thing is happening in the temples of education, then where should a woman go...When the President got to know about this incident, she showed concern," Deo said.
Congress leader Yashir Nawaz also questioned the timing of the postmortem report, and said, "We are protesting because they are conducting the post-mortem at 2 am. The government, with the help of the police, want to take the body away after the postmortem."
Meanwhile, BJD leader Snehangini Chhuria also lashed out at the BJP-led state government in Odisha, and said, "Now, the slogan of 'beti bachao beti padhao' has turned to 'beti padhao beti jalao' in Odisha."
According to a bulletin by AIIMS Bhubaneswar, the Odisha student was declared dead at 11:46 pm on Monday, two days after she was brought to the hospital by her friend and was "resuscitated with IV fluids, IV antibiotics, intubated and put on mechanical ventilation".
Hours before she died, President Murmu visited her at the hospital assured her parents all help in her treatment.
After the student's death, Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi vowed stringent action against those involved and wrote on X, 'I assure the family that all those guilty will face the strictest punishment as per the law."
The victim was a second-year student of B.Ed (integrated) at the college. She set herself on fire a day after Samir Kumar Sahu, the head of the educational department against whom she had levelled sexual harassment allegations, was given a clean chit by the Internal Complaints Committee of the institution.
She had alleged that the education department head made sexual advances against her and threatened to fail her in exams if she rejected them. She said she had apprised CM Majhi, union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, national commission for women as well as district police officials about it.
(With ANI inputs)