Balasore girl who set herself ablaze over harassment dies
The Odisha govt had earlier arrested and suspended the teacher concerned. The principal was also arrested for trying to persuade the girl to withdraw her complaint. Despite the govt saying that the purview of the probe would expand in the case, her death intensified political blame game with opposition BJD and Congress alleging a "system failure" leading to the girl's untimely death.
While the University Grants Commission (UGC) formed a fact-finding team, governor Hari Babu Kambhampati promised "uncompromising punishment" against those responsible.
On Tuesday, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced Rs 20 lakh interim aid for the bereaved family of the second-year integrated BEd student who poured petrol on herself inside the govt-run college in full public view and set herself on fire, moments after she met the principal.
The girl initially reported the matter to the college principal on June 30 and posted her ordeal in a social media post, tagging authorities and reported the matter to the police on July 1.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Seniors Are Ditching Finger Pricks with This Breakthrough Monitor
Thelifeh
Undo
The student was initially rushed to Balasore district headquarters hospital following the incident on Saturday afternoon before being transferred to AIIMS Bhubaneswar, around 200km away.
Despite intensive medical intervention, including renal replacement therapy, she was declared clinically dead late on Monday, according to an AIIMS Bhubaneswar statement.
The cremation was conducted at her native village in Balasore with family members and govt officials present amid palpable public anger and grief.
Governor Kambhampati, who is also chancellor of universities, took to X, expressing his anguish and emphasising the need for campus safety. "Her passing is not just a tragedy — it is a stark reminder of the urgent need to safeguard our campuses. The law will take its toughest course. Those responsible will face uncompromising punishment," he stated.
After a high-level meeting chaired by deputy chief ministers KV Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, and attended by other ministers and MLAs, revenue minister Suresh Pujari announced the scope of the investigation would expand to include all those responsible.
The incident sparked strong political reactions, with Congress calling for an Odisha bandh on Tuesday. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi termed it "an organised murder by the BJP's system", while former CM and opposition leader Naveen Patnaik described it as "institutional betrayal", urging the governor to ensure accountability.
Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan countered Rahul, saying, "The cheap politics played by Rahul Gandhi and Congress on the tragic incident is extremely unfortunate.
Turning a serious and sensitive matter into a political weapon reflects Rahul's petty mindset," he said.
Countering Naveen, Balasore MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi drew a comparison between the current Majhi govt's swift response and the previous administration under Naveen, noting that crimes against women during the BJD leader's tenure did not receive such immediate attention or action.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
12 minutes ago
- Mint
Parliament Monsoon Session LIVE Updates: ‘Do you speak with Paki?' Amit Shah jibes at Oppn; informs 3 terrorists killed
29 Jul 2025, 12:45 PM IST Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticised Congress leader P Chidambaram for questioning the evidence linking the Pahalgam attackers to Pakistan, remarking that raising such a query on the eve of the parliamentary debate seemed like an attempt to defend or shield Pakistan. 29 Jul 2025, 12:45 PM IST Operation Mahadev was launched on May 22, 2025, said Amit Shah in Lok Sabha. He added that he reached Srinagar by 5:30 PM, and a high-level security meeting was held that evening, where it was decided that the terrorists must not be allowed to flee the country. 29 Jul 2025, 12:45 PM IST Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday informed in Parliament about the killing of the terrorists who were involved in the Pahalgam terror attack. He also took a swipe at the Opposition, stating that they 'did not seem to be happy about it". Amit Shah also asked Opposition, 'Do you speak with Pakistan?' 29 Jul 2025, 12:45 PM IST Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday confirmed in Parliament that the very rifles recovered from three terrorists killed in the recent Dachigam encounter were the same weapons used in the brutal Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 civilians dead. 'Ballistic analysis of the rifles and cartridge cases conclusively established that these were the same weapons used in the attack on our civilians," Shah told the House.
The Hindu
12 minutes ago
- The Hindu
National Herald case: Court defers order on cognisance of ED chargesheet
A Delhi court on Tuesday (July 29, 2025) deferred its order on taking cognisance of the chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the National Herald case. Court sources said the matter is now listed for August 7 and 8 for certain clarifications. Earlier on July 15, Special judge Vishal Gogne had reserved the order for July 29 after noting that the submissions on the aspect of cognisance had been concluded. National Herald case: Congress workers stage protest outside ED HQ, accuse Centre of vendetta The court had been hearing the submissions on the point of cognisance by the Enforcement Directorate and the accused on a day-to-day basis from July 2. The ED has accused Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, late party leaders Motilal Vora and Oscar Fernandes, as well as Suman Dubey, Sam Pitroda and a private company, Young Indian, of conspiracy and money laundering over the alleged fraudulent takeover of Rs 2,000 crore worth properties belonging to Associated Journals Limited (AJL), which published the National Herald newspaper. The agency alleges that the Gandhis held the majority 76 per cent shares in Young Indian, which allegedly fraudulently usurped the assets of AJL in exchange for a Rs 90 crore loan. The chargesheet names Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Pitroda, Dubey, Sunil Bhandari, Young Indian and Dotex Merchandise Pvt Ltd.
Time of India
14 minutes ago
- Time of India
Pahalgam terror attack: How India took down the terrorists who killed 26 civilians
A month after the Pahalgam terror attack sent shockwaves across India, Indian security forces launched 'Operation Mahadev' on May 22 to hunt down the masterminds and killers behind the Baisaran Valley massacre that claimed 26 civilian lives. The mission was launched with the specific objective of tracking and eliminating the terrorists responsible for the April 22 attack, Union Home Minister Amit Shah told the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Public Policy Design Thinking Project Management MBA Data Analytics Digital Marketing Degree Technology PGDM Data Science Data Science Product Management Operations Management Others Finance Cybersecurity others Leadership MCA CXO healthcare Artificial Intelligence Management Healthcare Skills you'll gain: Economics for Public Policy Making Quantitative Techniques Public & Project Finance Law, Health & Urban Development Policy Duration: 12 Months IIM Kozhikode Professional Certificate Programme in Public Policy Management Starts on Mar 3, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 12 Months IIM Calcutta Executive Programme in Public Policy and Management Starts on undefined Get Details After weeks of coordinated intelligence and tactical operations, the mission culminated on July 28 with the killing of all three terrorists in a major breakthrough. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dhoni's Exclusive Home Interior Choice? HomeLane Get Quote 'In a joint Operation Mahadev, the Indian Army , CRPF and J&K Police have neutralised three terrorists who were involved in the Pahalgam terror attack,' Shah said, confirming the success of the mission. Shah described the Pahalgam massacre, in which 26 civilians were killed, as an act of "barbarism" and extended his condolences to the victims' families. Live Events 'Firstly, the cold-blooded murder of innocent civilians in Pahalgam, who were killed with barbarism — I condemn that attack. To the surviving family members of the victims, I extend my heartfelt condolences,' he said. India avenges Pahalgam horror: Security forces kill all 3 terrorists behind attack, confirms Amit Shah How India identified the terrorists Shah said that security forces went to great lengths to establish that the three terrorists killed on July 28 were the same individuals who carried out the Pahalgam attack. Their identities were confirmed as Suleman, Afghan, and Jibran. 'Security forces went to great extent to establish that identity of terrorists was same as those responsible for Pahalgam attack,' Shah said. Notably, the government possessed even more granular evidence. 'All three terrorists were Pakistani and we have their voter ID numbers as well. The chocolates recovered from them were also made in Pak,' he told the House. Arrests and identification Soon after the April 22 attack, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other security agencies began making arrests of those believed to have assisted the terrorists. Individuals who sheltered or fed the attackers were either arrested or detained. These individuals later played a key role in confirming the terrorists' identities. 'NIA had already arrested those who gave them shelter. Those who fed them were detained. When the terrorists' dead bodies reached Srinagar, they were identified as the three people who carried out the terror attack in Pahalgam,' Shah said. 'The people who used to supply food to them were detained earlier. Once the bodies of these terrorists were brought to Srinagar, they were identified by those who were kept detained by our agencies,' he added. Forensic confirmation Indian agencies also relied heavily on forensic evidence to establish the link between the dead terrorists and the Pahalgam attack. The cartridges recovered from the April 22 attack site had already undergone analysis. On July 28, after the terrorists were killed, their rifles were recovered and sent for ballistic comparison. 'The FSL report of the cartridges from the terror attack was already ready... Yesterday, the rifles of the three terrorists were seized and matched with the FSL reports,' Shah said. Further confirmatory tests were conducted at a lab in Chandigarh, and the ballistic match was confirmed. 'Further tests were carried out in Chandigarh yesterday, after that it was confirmed that these three were those who carried out the terror attack,' he said.
