Latest news with #FakirMohanAutonomousCollege
India.com
2 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
Odisha Observes 12-Hour Bandh As Outrage Grows Over Students Suicide: Whats Open And Whats Closed?
A 12-hour state-wide 'bandh' (shutdown) is ongoing in Odisha today, Thursday, organised by a coalition of eight opposition parties. The extensive protest seeks justice for a 20-year-old college student who died in a tragic fire after having attempted self-immolation, reportedly over the lack of action on her complaint against sexual harassment by a professor. The student, a second-year student at Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore, died of her injuries at AIIMS Bhubaneswar late on Monday night, July 14, after sustaining severe burns. She had immolated herself on the college campus on Saturday, July 12, alleging her sexual harassment complaints were not taken seriously by the authorities. The 'bandh', which was called early today and was to go on until 6 PM, has taken a heavy toll on daily life in the state. Markets, shops, schools, and colleges are shut, and traffic has been mostly halted, causing roads to be empty as reported by Odisha TV. But necessary healthcare services, such as pharmacies, ambulances, and other health facilities, are functioning normally. Although there has not been any official government notice for the closure of state offices and banks, low staffing is expected. Train services also might encounter delays because of anticipated demonstrations and protests all day long. The fervor of the protest was witnessed on Wednesday, July 16, specifically in Balasore, where Biju Janata Dal (BJD) workers organized protests, occupying roads and setting tires ablaze. Similar protest was seen in Jaleswar, Basta, Soro, Baliapal, and Bhograi, resulting in traffic control by the police. The ghastly accident has set off a ferocious political storm. BJD leader Debi Prasad Mishra articulated the outrage of the people, asserting, "People are very angry over the denial of justice to the student who ultimately set herself on fire and died." He promised that his party would continue protesting throughout Odisha "till the BJP government announces a judicial probe into the incident." Opposition parties like the Congress and BJD have charged the BJP-ruled Odisha government of a cover-up and are calling for the immediate dismissal of Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has described the death of the student as not a suicide but an "organised murder by the system" and accused her of having been threatened and humiliated rather than given justice. To this, the state government has released a ₹20 lakh compensation for the family of the victim and revealed that the principal of the college and the Head of the Education Department have been arrested in regards to the case. They have appealed to other opposition parties not to politicize the tragedy and promised severe action against all the perpetrators. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has also constituted a four-member fact-finding committee to probe the incident, including whether institutional policies and grievance redressal are effective.
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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Odisha observes bandh over Balasore student's self-immolation case
Several opposition parties in Odisha observed a state-wide bandh on Thursday to protest against the death of a 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore, who died after attempting self-immolation. Shops remained shut and traffic was disrupted in many areas, including Bhadrak and Mayurbhanj. In Bhadrak, markets were closed and public transport was affected. The bandh also caused long traffic jams on the Chennai-Kolkata Highway, where trucks and other vehicles were left stranded. Bus services were impacted in different parts of the state. The Congress party, along with other opposition groups, including the All India Forward Bloc, led the bandh. They blamed the state government for failing to respond to the student's repeated cries for help. Protesters demanded a proper investigation into the case and called for stronger measures to ensure the safety and justice for women in the state. A day earlier, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) had also taken to the streets and called for a 'Balasore Bandh' in protest against the Odisha government. BJD chief and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik strongly criticised the state government and the police over the alleged use of force against BJD workers who were protesting in connection with the case. On Tuesday, eight opposition parties, including the Congress, jointly called for an 'Odisha Bandh' on July 17, demanding the resignation of the State Higher Education Minister and a judicial investigation into the matter. The 20-year-old student had allegedly faced sustained sexual harassment by the Head of Department (HoD) at Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College in Balasore. Despite filing a formal complaint and repeatedly seeking help from the college principal, her concerns reportedly went unaddressed, leading her to set herself on fire on campus last Saturday. She was first admitted to Balasore district hospital and later shifted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar, where she succumbed to her burn injuries on Monday, according to hospital authorities. Following the incident, the college's HoD, Samira Kumar Sahu, and Principal, Dilip Ghose, have been arrested in connection with the case.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Odisha bandh: Student dies after self-immolation; protests erupt, roads blocked
NEW DELHI: Several opposition parties in Odisha observed a state-wide bandh on Thursday to protest against the death of a 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore, who died after attempting self-immolation. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Shops closed and transport services were affected in various regions, including Bhadrak and Mayurbhanj. The markets in Bhadrak remained non-operational with disrupted public transport. The protest resulted in substantial traffic congestion on the Chennai-Kolkata Highway, with numerous vehicles stranded. Bus operations were affected throughout various regions of the state. The Congress, alongside other opposition groups including the All India Forward Bloc, organised the bandh. They held the state government accountable for not addressing the student's appeals for assistance. The demonstrators sought a thorough investigation and requested enhanced security measures for women's safety in the state. Previously, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) had organised a 'Balasore Bandh' to protest against the Odisha government. BJD leader and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik condemned the state government and police regarding the alleged force used against BJD protesters involved in the case. On Tuesday, eight opposition parties, including Congress, collectively announced an 'Odisha Bandh' on July 17, seeking the State Higher Education Minister's resignation and a judicial inquiry into the incident. The student had reportedly experienced continuous sexual harassment from the Head of Department (HoD) at Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College in Balasore. Despite submitting a formal complaint and repeatedly requesting assistance from the college principal, her grievances remained unattended, resulting in her self-immolation on campus last Saturday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now She received initial treatment at Balasore district hospital before being transferred to AIIMS Bhubaneswar, where she succumbed to her injuries on Monday, as confirmed by hospital officials. Subsequently, authorities arrested the college's HoD, Samira Kumar Sahu, and Principal, Dilip Ghose, in relation to the incident.
News18
2 days ago
- News18
'It Was Her Agni Pariksha': Friend Reveals How Trolling Crushed Balasore Victim's Spirit
Last Updated: The woman said the principal was approached several times to act against the HoD but he, instead, warned the victim of consequences if she failed to prove her complaint The 20-year-old BEd student of Balasore's Fakir Mohan Autonomous College, who set herself on fire over the alleged harassment by her HoD and assistant professor Samir Kumar Sahu, approached her principal several times to share her ordeal but did not get a favourable response. The apathy was revealed by the victim's close friend, who, in an interview with CNN-News18, said: 'The principal asked for some time and took 7–8 days but did nothing. In fact, he warned the victim of consequences if she failed to prove her complaint," she said. The victim's friend said she was trolled by juniors, who called her a 'bad girl" on social media and campus and assassinated her character. 'On June 30, us friends accompanied her for support. She had gone to the principal earlier too, but wasn't heard. On June 30, we all went with her to demand action. The principal asked for 7-8 days but did nothing. The HoD instigated students to defame her." The woman said the victim was 'used as a political tool by opposition student union NSUI" and those showing sympathy now were the same who tarnished her image. Sharing details of the fateful day when the woman self-immolated, her friend said: 'She looked okay and calm in the morning. The fact that she couldn't provide proof pushed her to take the extreme step; it was her Agni Pariksha. However, when we returned from lunch, we saw what she had done. The shaming crushed her spirit. She felt isolated, unheard, and humiliated and took the drastic step." The woman said the fight for justice would not end with the victim's death. 'She did not burn alone—all of us are burning with her today. She taught us that we must always fight for the rights of girls." THE CASE Shocking details of the case have come to the fore after the victim's death, including the apathy of the college administration as well as pressure from some of her own peers who supported the accused. The student, in her complaint to the college's Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) on July 1, had mentioned that the professor had asked for a 'favour" from her, refusal of which invited mental harassment. 'When she (the student) asked him what kind of favour, Sahoo allegedly said, 'You are not a child to not understand what favour I need'," Minati Sethi, a member of the ICC, told a news portal. Upset over being unable to prove her allegations, the student set herself ablaze shortly after coming out of the principal's chamber. She suffered 95 per cent burns and was first admitted to the Balasore District Headquarters Hospital. Later, she was shifted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar for advanced treatment. The accused professor and the principal of the college were arrested in connection with the case. The University Grants Commission has set up a four-member fact-finding team to look into the incident. view comments First Published: July 17, 2025, 08:58 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Safe havens no more: On growing crime against women
From Odisha to Karnataka, Bengal to Delhi, violence against women has seen an ominous rise over the past few months. What is even more appalling is that crimes are being committed in spaces such as school and college campuses or workplaces which are usually presumed to be safe havens. On July 14, a 20-year-old student of Fakir Mohan Autonomous College, Balasore, passed away after suffering 90% burns in an immolation bid. The student had taken the extreme step outside the principal's office after her repeated complaints of sexual harassment, against a senior teacher, went unheard. The accused teacher, Samir Sahu, and the principal, Dillip Ghosh, have been arrested, but a precious life would not have been lost had her grievances been redressed in time. She ran from pillar to post, taking it right up to the Chief Minister's office, but no one paid attention to her grave complaint. In Bengal, even before a year has passed since a post-graduate student's brutal killing at R.G. Kar Medical Hospital in 2024, a law college student was gang-raped on campus this June; in Mangaluru, two lecturers have been arrested for the alleged rape of a student; in Delhi, a nine-year-old girl's rape and murder led to the Opposition crying foul over the collapse of law and order. Little seems to have changed on the ground after Nirbhaya's rape and murder in Delhi in 2012. Stringent laws are in place, but to what effect? The Odisha student's plight has put the spotlight on Internal Complaint Committees, mandatory under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013. The Odisha government asked all colleges to form the committees within 24 hours, after the tragic death. Questions should be raised about the manner in which the system failed the student, and the absolute lack of accountability. The annual 'Crime in India' report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) for the year 2023 is yet to be released. Figures available for 2022 show that a total of 4,45,256 cases of 'crimes against women' were registered, showing an increase of 4% over 2021. While the majority of crimes against women were registered under 'cruelty by husband or his relatives' (31.4%), 'assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty' comprised 18.7% of all crimes, and 'rape' was pegged at 7.1%. It must be noted that many crimes go unreported as well. In this backdrop, conversations about sexual violence and gender are imperative, and must start early. The clamour for justice against a crime should not die down after a few days either, especially when protectors turn predators.
