Latest news with #OdishaBandh
News18
5 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Protests, Politics Erupt In Odisha After Student Who Self-Immolated Over Harassment Dies
Last Updated: The Opposition parties, including the Congress, on Tuesday unitedly called for 'Odisha Bandh' on July 17 over the death of a 20-year-old student from Balasore. Amid the ongoing tensions in Odisha over the death of a 20-year-old female student from Balasore, the opposition parties, including the Congress, on Tuesday unitedly called for 'Odisha Bandh' on July 17. The parties have also demanded the resignation of the State Higher Education Minister and a judicial investigation in connection to the case. 'Joint opposition has resolved that Odisha will be closed on July 17," CPI(M) leader Suresh Panigrahi was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. The CPI(M) leader attacked the state government and state that the victim appealed to the Odisha government, the local MP and MLA, Principal, District Collector, SP and the Higher Education Minister of state and centre, but nothing happened. 'We demand a strict judicial investigation of the whole incident, the Higher Education Minister should resign, and some action should be taken against the local MLA and MP," he added. The 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Odisha's Balasore, who had attempted self-immolation, died on Monday, confirmed the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhubaneswar. The student set herself on fire after allegedly facing prolonged sexual harassment by her college's Head of Department. Despite lodging a formal complaint and seeking help from the principal, her pleas were ignored, leading to the tragic incident. Opposition Attacks Odisha Govt Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Tuesday called the death the student an 'organised murder by the BJP's system" and accusing the BJP-led state government of failing to protect the victim. Rahul Gandhi alleged that the student was subjected to repeated threats, torments and humiliation instead of receiving justice. Taking to X, the Congress leader wrote, 'The death of a daughter fighting for justice in Odisha is nothing less than a murder by the BJP's system. That brave student raised her voice against sexual harassment, but instead of delivering justice, she was threatened, tormented, and repeatedly humiliated. Those who were supposed to protect her kept breaking her." 'As always, the BJP's system continued to shield the accused and forced an innocent daughter to set herself on fire. This is not suicide; it is an organised murder by the system. Modi ji, whether in Odisha or Manipur, the daughters of the nation are burning, breaking, and dying. And you? You remain silent. The country doesn't need your silence; it needs answers. India's daughters need safety and justice," the post added. Earlier in the day, the Congress workers staged a protest outside AIIMS Bhubaneswar following the death of the student. Police later detained the protesting workers. (With agency inputs) view comments 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.
News18
5 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Odisha Bandh Today Over Student's Self-Immolation: What's Open & What's Closed
Last Updated: Transport services were hit and shops remained shut in Bhubaneswar on Thursday as several opposition parties called for Odisha bandh. Several opposition parties have jointly called for a 12-hour Odisha bandh on Thursday, July 17, to protest against the death of a college student, who set herself on fire, alleging inaction by authorities over a harassment complaint against a professor. The bandh was called by eight Opposition parties in Odisha, demanding justice for the student of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College. The bandh call is set to remain in place until 6 pm Today. According to news agency ANI, transport services were hit and shops remained shut in Bhubaneswar on Thursday. A man who was waiting to board a bus in Bhubaneswar stated that people are facing transportation issues due to the state bandh, but added that the protest is necessary when the administration fails to act. Security forces were deployed, and petrol pumps remained closed in Odisha's capital city as several opposition parties observed the state bandh. 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. Eight Opposition political parties, including the Congress, on Tuesday unitedly called for 'Odisha Bandh' on Thursday, July 17. They are demanding the resignation of the State Higher Education Minister and a judicial investigation in the demise of the student. The 20-year-old student had allegedly faced prolonged sexual harassment by the Head of Department (HoD) at Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College in Balasore. Despite filing a formal complaint and seeking help from the college principal, her grievances reportedly went unheard, leading her to take the extreme step on campus last Saturday. She was initially admitted to the Balasore district hospital and later referred to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhubaneswar, where she succumbed to her burn injuries on July 14. (With agency inputs) view comments First Published: July 17, 2025, 12:38 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.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Odisha bandh today: What's open, what's closed, shutdown timings amid protests over Balasore FM College student rape case
Odisha is witnessing a statewide bandh today, July 17, called by eight opposition parties demanding justice for a college student who died after setting herself on fire, alleging inaction over sexual harassment by a professor. The 12-hour bandh brought normal life to a standstill in many districts, with roads empty, vehicles off the streets, and educational institutions shut. Odisha Bandh today: Schools, colleges, markets closed Educational institutions across Odisha, including schools and colleges, will remain shut through the day. Commercial establishments and local markets also likely to remain closed as the shutdown began early morning and continued until 6 p.m. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Data Science Public Policy Management Product Management Cybersecurity Operations Management Others Artificial Intelligence Leadership Data Analytics PGDM Project Management Digital Marketing others Design Thinking Data Science CXO Degree MBA Technology Healthcare healthcare Finance MCA Skills you'll gain: Duration: 10 Months E&ICT Academy, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati CERT-IITG Prof Cert in DS & BA with GenAI India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 10 Months IIM Kozhikode CERT-IIMK DABS India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 11 Months IIT Madras CERT-IITM Advanced Cert Prog in AI and ML India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 30 Weeks IIM Kozhikode SEPO - IIMK-AI for Senior Executives India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 11 Months E&ICT Academy, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati CERT-IITG Postgraduate Cert in AI and ML India Starts on undefined Get Details Odisha Bandh: Train, Bus services to be affected Public and private transport services were largely suspended. Buses stayed off the roads and long-distance trucks were stranded, especially on key highways like the Kolkata-Chennai National Highway. In Balasore, traffic movement was disrupted as roads were blocked with tyre fires and sit-in demonstrations. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo Train services were not officially suspended but experienced delays and disruptions due to protest-related blockades. Odisha Bandh What's Open: Essential services like healthcare and pharmacies Hospitals, ambulance services, and pharmacies remained operational across the state. Emergency healthcare facilities were not affected by the bandh, and there were no reports of disruptions in ambulance movement. Live Events MORE STORIES FOR YOU ✕ « Back to recommendation stories I don't want to see these stories because They are not relevant to me They disrupt the reading flow Others SUBMIT Unclear: Banks and government offices There was no official announcement on the closure of banks and government offices. However, reports suggest reduced attendance in several government departments. Some banks operated with limited staff, depending on the local situation and access to offices. Most impact in Balasore and surrounding areas Balasore district saw the most visible impact, with earlier protests beginning on Wednesday. The bandh was also observed in Jaleswar, Basta, Soro, Baliapal, and Bhograi, where roadblocks and demonstrations disrupted movement. "People are very angry over the denial of justice to the student who ultimately set herself on fire and died," said BJD leader Debi Prasad Mishra. He added, "We will continue to agitate across Odisha till the BJP government announces a judicial probe into the incident." Odisha Bandh: Political protests continue Earlier in the week, Congress and BJD workers held demonstrations outside AIIMS Bhubaneswar, where the 20-year-old student was undergoing treatment before her death. The opposition parties have accused the BJP-led Odisha government of a cover-up and demanded the removal of Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj. With protests expected to continue, the extent of disruption in the coming days will depend on the government's response to the opposition's demands.
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Congress's Odisha Bandh today; government tightens security
BHUBANESWAR: Normal life is likely to be hit hard due to the Odisha Bandh call given by Congress and Left parties over the FM College incident on Thursday. With the Opposition activists preparing to enforce a complete shutdown across the state barring some emergency services like hospitals and medical services, markets and business establishments are likely to be affected. Vehicular movement and public transport is also likely to be disrupted due to the road blockades, dharnas, and demonstrations planned by the Congress and other parties. President of All Odisha Private Bus Association Loknath Pani said buses will stop if obstructed by the agitators. General secretary of All-India Petroleum Dealers' Association, Sanjay Lath, informed that over 3,000 fuel stations and three major depots in Odisha will remain closed from 6 am to 4 pm on July 17. 'The decision was taken as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of staff, property and customers during the protest,' he said. Though the state government has not made any announcement regarding the closure of offices as well as schools, colleges and educational institutions, they will also be affected.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Odisha observes bandh over Balasore student's self-immolation case
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Bhadrak: 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 remained shut and traffic was disrupted in many areas, including Bhadrak and Mayurbhanj. In Bhadrak, markets were closed and public transport was 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 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 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 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 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 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 the incident, the college's HoD, Samira Kumar Sahu, and Principal, Dilip Ghose, have been arrested in connection with the case.
