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Time of India
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
She spoke, no one listened: Odisha village bids tearful final farewell to student in Balasore harassment case
A pall of grief descended upon an Odisha village as the body of a 20-year-old college student, who tragically died after accusing her professor of sexual harassment and attempting self-immolation, was returned home. Her cremation ignited public outrage over the lack of timely action on her complaint. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads A village in Odisha's Balasore district stood still in mourning on Tuesday as the body of a 20-year-old college student—who had accused her professor of sexual harassment and later attempted suicide by setting herself ablaze—returned home for the last dead at AIIMS Bhubaneswar on Monday night after battling severe burn injuries for nearly three days, the second-year student's cremation drew waves of emotion, questions, and in white and carried in a coffin, the young woman was brought back to the same streets where she once taught self-defence, performed on stage, and helped organise community outreach activities.'"She had gone to college after Bahuda Yatra and said she would return soon. She promised. But she came back... like this," her mother sobbed, while talking to father, employed at a local government-run women's college, stood quietly beside her. "My daughter was strong. If the investigation had been done properly from the beginning, maybe this wouldn't have happened," he told the news the funeral procession wound through the village, locals watched in disbelief, some crying silently, others shouting slogans praising her bravery. 'She spoke up when many would have stayed silent,' one mourner told TOI. 'She deserved support, not silence.'Political leaders, including Balasore MP Pratap Sarangi and several local MLAs, joined the procession along with district officials. The heavy police presence underscored both the sensitivity of the case and the public scrutiny it has stung most for those who knew her was the feeling that her courage had gone unheard. Despite her complaints, no meaningful action was taken in time."Why did no one help her? Why was her voice ignored?" a neighbour, Sunil Kar also told TOI. "She dared to speak. But her courage was met with silence."Her brother, holding back tears, added, "No matter how much politics is played now or how loudly people demand justice, what difference will it make?"As the funeral pyre was lit, the crowd fell silent.
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Balasore sexual harassment case: She taught others to fight, but when she cried for help, no one turned up
File photo BALASORE: She taught others to fight. She raised her voice. But when she cried for help, no one listened. The 20-year-old college student who set herself on fire after accusing her professor of sexual harassment was cremated Tuesday amid tears, anger and disbelief in her village in Odisha's Balasore district. Doctors at AIIMS Bhubaneswar declared her dead on Monday night, nearly 60 hours after the second-year student was admitted with critical burns. Her body arrived early Tuesday. Villagers gathered silently, some in shock, many in grief. Her mother wept beside the coffin: "She had gone to college after Bahuda Yatra and said she would return soon. She promised. But she came back... like this." The father, a clerk at a government-run women's college, stood frozen. "My daughter was strong. If the investigation had been done properly from the beginning, maybe this wouldn't have happened," he said. Wrapped in white, the woman who once taught self-defence, wrote poetry, excelled in stage acting and social work, and was taking disaster management classes, now lay still. Her elder brother, 24, choked through his sorrow. "No matter how much politics is played now or how loudly people demand justice, what difference will it make?" The funeral procession passed through narrow lanes where she once played, studied and spoke up. "Long live the brave daughter," mourners shouted as her body was taken to the cremation ground under heavy police deployment. Balasore MP Pratap Sarangi, Bhograi MLA Gautambuddha Das, Balasore Sadar MLA Manas Dutta, and Remuna MLA Gobinda Chandra Das attended the funeral. District officials also paid respects. At the cremation site, the grief broke into questions. "Why did no one help her? Why was her voice ignored?" asked neighbour Sunil Kar. "She dared to speak. But her courage was met with silence." Now, only silence remains.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
A village turns up to bid farewell to its brave daughter
Balasore: With moist eyes and heavy hearts, a village bade farewell to the 20-year-old girl who died late on Monday at AIIMS Bhubaneswar. Tears flowed as mourners gathered on Tuesday at the cremation ground where her last rites were performed. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The cremation ground became a stage of sorrow, anger and frustration broken only by the cries of grieving family members. "She had gone to college after Bahuda Yatra and said she would return soon. She promised she would come back. But she never did. She came back… like this," her mother recalled, standing beside the lifeless body of the daughter, tears rolling down. The deceased, who was a second-year integrated BEd student, had been battling for her life for nearly 60 hours at AIIMS Bhubaneswar after allegedly attempting self-immolation on her college campus. The incident followed allegations of sexual harassment by the head of the department of education. On Monday night, her fight came to an end, as doctors declared her dead at 11:46 pm. Her 24-year-old elder brother, who works in a private company, spoke through his grief. "No matter how much politics is played now or how loudly people demand justice, what difference will it make? I will never get my sister back," he said. Her mortal remains arrived at the village early Tuesday morning. As the body was brought home for the last time, villagers gathered in large numbers, forced to confront the death of one of their daughters who was bright and an outspoken young woman. Wrapped in white, the young girl, who once taught others about courage and self-defence, who raised her voice against injustice, lay still. "Why did no one help her? Why was her voice ignored?" asked Sunil Kar, a grieving neighbour, echoing the question on everyone's mind. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In a world where silence is often the norm, the girl dared to speak — but her courage was met with apathy. Her cries for help, her formal complaint, and her appeals to authorities — all seemingly fell on deaf ears. Balasore MP Pratap Sarangi, Bhograi MLA Gautambuddha Das, Balasore Sadar MLA Manas Dutta, Remuna MLA Gobinda Chandra Das along with the district administration officials were present at the funeral, which was held under tight police security. Her body was taken in a funeral procession through the village — the same streets where she once laughed, played and dreamt of a better tomorrow. Slogans of 'long live the brave daughter' echoed through the air as the procession made its way to the cremation ground. Her father, a clerk in a govt-run women's college, stood in disbelief. "Why would my daughter take such an extreme step?" he asked, his voice trembling. "If the investigation had been done properly from the beginning, maybe this wouldn't have happened," he wondered.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Odisha student who self-immolated over harassment inaction cremated; congress-led opposition calls bandh on 17th
NEW DELHI: The body of the college student who set herself ablaze following alleged sexual harassment by a professor reached her village in Odisha's Balasore district on Tuesday. The student's body was cremated in the presence of her family and other villagers. Thousands of people thronged the crematorium ground to attend her cremation. Balasore MP Pratap Sarangi, district officials and others walked to the crematorium ground from the house of the student. The 20-year-old second-year B. Ed student of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College, Balasore had accused the Head of Education Department, Samira Kumar Sahu of sexually harassing her. She set herself on fire on Saturday on the college campus over alleged inaction against the professor and suffered 95 per cent burns. The woman was first admitted to the Balasore district hospital and then shifted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar for advanced treatment. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday announced ex gratia of Rs 20 lakh for the family of the student. Majhi directed officers concerned to conduct a proper investigation into the incident so that all guilty are punished in accordance with the law, according to a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO). Condemning the Odisha BJP government, eight opposition parties, led by the Congress, called an Odisha bandh on July 17 to protest the death of the student. State Congress president Bhakta Charan Das said the bandh is being supported by eight parties, including the Left. He claimed the incident, which happened at the Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College in Balasore, showed that the state government has failed to protect women. "She brought petrol, and everyone watched silently. No one acted," he said, attacking the ruling BJP.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Odisha college student's body cremated; Rahul slams 'systemic murder', congress led- opposition calls bandh on 17th
NEW DELHI: The body of the college student who set herself ablaze following alleged sexual harassment by a professor reached her village in Odisha's Balasore district on Tuesday. The student's body was cremated in the presence of her family and other villagers. Thousands of people thronged the crematorium ground to attend her cremation. Balasore MP Pratap Sarangi, district officials and others walked to the crematorium ground from the house of the student. The 20-year-old second-year B. Ed student of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College, Balasore had accused the Head of Education Department, Samira Kumar Sahu of sexually harassing her. She set herself on fire on Saturday on the college campus over alleged inaction against the professor and suffered 95 per cent burns. The woman was first admitted to the Balasore district hospital and then shifted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar for advanced treatment. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday announced ex gratia of Rs 20 lakh for the family of the student. Majhi directed officers concerned to conduct a proper investigation into the incident so that all guilty are punished in accordance with the law, according to a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO). Condemning the Odisha BJP government, eight opposition parties, led by the Congress, called an Odisha bandh on July 17 to protest the death of the student. State Congress president Bhakta Charan Das said the bandh is being supported by eight parties, including the Left. He claimed the incident, which happened at the Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College in Balasore, showed that the state government has failed to protect women. "She brought petrol, and everyone watched silently. No one acted," he said, attacking the ruling BJP.
