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The Independent
16-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Indian student's self-immolation after sexual harassment complaint sparks national outrage
A 20-year-old student in India set herself on fire at her college campus after alleging sexual harassment by a professor, an incident that has prompted national outrage and calls for an inquiry from political leaders. The woman, a second-year undergraduate studying education at Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore, Odisha, self-immolated on Saturday, moments after leaving the office of the college principal. She suffered over 90 per cent burns and was rushed to the All India Institute of Medical Science in Bhubaneswar, where she died late on Monday night. Her father, speaking to local media, accused the college of conspiring against his daughter. 'My daughter was killed,' he said in Hindi, breaking down on television. 'She always raised her voice in college, so they targeted her. Everyone forced her to die. Is this not murder?' He claimed that his daughter had complained of sexual harassment by Sameer Ranjan Sahoo, the head of the education department, accusing him of demanding sexual favours and threatening to ruin her career. 'She didn't open up completely but said the accused was pressuring her,' he said, reported India Today. Mr Sahoo has been suspended and arrested, with a local court placing him under 14 days' judicial custody. The student had formally approached the college's Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), naming Mr Sahoo and claiming that the principal, Dillip Ghosh, and other college authorities failed to act on her initial complaints. The ICC is said to have promised action, but the family say none was taken. She had also approached the police and even met her local MP, but the family say the alleged harassment continued. Mr Ghosh was suspended as principal by the college on Sunday, and arrested on Monday when the student was still in critical condition in hospital. Local opposition leader Bhakta Charan Das, the Odisha Congress Party chief, announced a state-wide shut-down on 17 July to protest the 'collapse of the justice redressal system'. Thousands attended the student's cremation in her home village on Tuesday, including the local state legislator from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, Pratap Sarangi, and other officials. Mohan Charan Majhi, Odisha's chief minister, expressed his condolences and vowed 'strict action' while offering £18,500 in compensation for the family. The case has triggered a political storm in Odisha and beyond. Former chief minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) party leader Naveen Patnaik blamed the BJP-led state government, calling the girl's death 'institutional betrayal' and a result of 'planned injustice'. 'She went from pillar to post for justice but was failed by the very system meant to protect her,' Mr Patnaik wrote on X (formerly Twitter). 'She did not die due to injuries alone, but because the state left her alone in her struggle.' National opposition leader Rahul Gandhi called the student's death 'an organised murder by the system' and said those meant to protect her 'kept breaking her'. In a sharply worded post on X calling out prime minister Narendra Modi, he added: 'Whether in Odisha or Manipur, the daughters of the nation are burning, breaking, and dying. And you [prime minister Narendra Modi] remain silent.' Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan said Mr Gandhi was politicising the incident, stating that the welfare of women was a top priority for the BJP-led central government. In response to the public outcry, the University Grants Commission (UGC), a statutory body under the education ministry, has set up a fact-finding team led by Raj Kumar Mittal. The panel will examine the circumstances of the student's death, review the college's compliance with regulatory norms, and assess the effectiveness of anti-harassment mechanisms. Other members of the committee include UGC joint secretary Ashima Mangla, Gujarat University vice-chancellor Neerja Gupta, and former UGC member Sushma Yadav. The panel has been asked to submit its report by 22 July. The UGC said the committee would visit the college, engage with students, staff and administrators, and assess the safety measures and institutional culture related to student welfare. Meanwhile, the victim's family continues to demand answers. 'Why was she called alone to the principal's office? What happened inside? Why were we not informed?' her father asked while speaking to ANI. 'I request the government to acknowledge that my daughter didn't die, she was killed, and everyone should be charged with murder," he said.
Hans India
16-07-2025
- Hans India
Father Claims Daughter Was Murdered, Not Suicide After Odisha Student's Self-Immolation Over Sexual Harassment
The father of a 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Odisha's Balasore has made explosive allegations following his daughter's tragic death, claiming she was murdered rather than having committed suicide. The young woman died from severe burn injuries after setting herself on fire on the college campus, an act her father now describes as the result of a deliberate conspiracy by institutional authorities. The grieving father's emotional statements reveal his belief that his daughter was systematically targeted and pushed toward this desperate act because she dared to speak out against harassment. He expressed his conviction that the incident was not a spontaneous decision but rather the culmination of a calculated plot designed to silence his daughter's voice. In his anguished testimony, the father questioned the circumstances surrounding his daughter's final moments, particularly focusing on a private meeting she was called to attend in the principal's office. He demanded answers about what transpired during that closed-door encounter and why the family was not informed about the meeting. His questions highlighted concerns about the institutional handling of his daughter's case and the events leading up to her tragic decision. The student had previously filed a formal complaint with the college's Internal Complaints Committee, accusing Sameer Ranjan Sahoo, the Head of Department, of persistent sexual harassment. According to her father's account, she had disclosed that the accused professor was demanding sexual favors, creating an environment of fear and intimidation that ultimately became unbearable. The father revealed that his daughter had not shared the complete extent of her ordeal with him, but had indicated that the accused was applying continuous pressure on her. He recounted how Sahoo had even attempted to reassure him personally, stating that as her teacher, there was no cause for concern. This interaction now appears particularly troubling in light of the subsequent events. The young woman's complaints had allegedly been met with institutional indifference, with the college principal Dillip Ghose and other staff members failing to take appropriate action despite her repeated pleas for help. The father expressed particular anger toward the Internal Committee members, claiming they had subjected his daughter to additional harassment by confronting her in the presence of her accused harasser. The student sustained 90 percent burns in the incident and was rushed to AIIMS Bhubaneswar, where she succumbed to her injuries on Monday night. Her death has triggered widespread outrage across Odisha, with political leaders and civil society groups demanding justice and accountability from the educational institution. Former Chief Minister and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik has directly held the BJP-led state government responsible for what he characterized as "institutional betrayal" and "planned injustice." In his strongly worded response, Patnaik emphasized that the student's death was not an accident but the direct result of systemic failure and deliberate neglect. Patnaik's statement highlighted the disturbing reality of how institutional failures can have fatal consequences, noting that the victim had exhausted all available channels seeking justice but was ultimately failed by the very system designed to protect her. He described the incident as evidence of a system that chose silence over support when intervention was most needed. The family's demands for a comprehensive investigation extend beyond the accused professor to include scrutiny of the principal's role and the functioning of the Internal Complaints Committee. They seek answers about the decision-making process that led to the private meeting and the institutional response to their daughter's harassment complaints. This tragic incident has brought renewed attention to the effectiveness of internal complaint mechanisms in educational institutions and the protection available to students who report harassment. The case raises serious questions about institutional accountability and the consequences of failing to address sexual harassment complaints promptly and effectively. The father's allegations of conspiracy suggest that the death was not simply the result of individual misconduct but potentially involved systemic efforts to silence his daughter's voice. As investigations continue, the focus will likely expand to examine the broader institutional culture and the adequacy of existing protection mechanisms for students facing harassment. The case has become a symbol of the broader struggle for justice in cases of sexual harassment within educational institutions, highlighting the urgent need for robust and effective complaint resolution systems that protect rather than further victimize those who speak out against misconduct.
India Today
16-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
She was killed: Odisha student's father alleges conspiracy behind self-immolation
"My daughter did not die — she was killed," said the father of the 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Odisha's Balasore, who succumbed to severe burn injuries after setting herself on fire inside the college it a 'conspiracy', the grieving father accused college authorities of pushing his daughter to take the extreme step because she dared to speak was a plot against my daughter. She always raised her voice in college, so they targeted her. Everyone forced her to die. Is this not murder? They forced her to attempt suicide. Why was she called alone to meet in the principal's room? What happened inside that room? Why were we not informed?" he told news agency ANI, demanding answers from the administration. The student, who had sustained 90 per cent burns, died at AIIMS Bhubaneswar on Monday night. Her father claimed she never revealed the full extent of her ordeal but had told him the accused, Sameer Ranjan Sahoo, the Head of Department, was demanding sexual favours."My daughter didn't open up completely but said the accused was pressuring her. He even told me, 'I am her teacher, don't worry'. The Internal Committee members are responsible for this. They heckled my daughter in front of the accused," he young woman had filed a formal complaint with the college's Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), accusing Sahoo of prolonged sexual harassment. She had alleged that the college principal, Dillip Ghose, and other staff failed to act despite repeated pleas for death has sparked widespread outrage in Odisha. Former Chief Minister and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik held the BJP-led state government responsible for what he called 'institutional betrayal' and "planned injustice". In a strongly worded statement, Patnaik said the student went from pillar to post for justice but was failed by the very system meant to protect her."It is even more disturbing to think how a failed system can take someone's life. The most painful part is that this was not an accident, but rather the result of a system that remained silent instead of helping," Patnaik the family has demanded a thorough probe into the role of the accused professor, the principal, and the Internal Committee. They have asked why the victim was made to meet alone behind closed doors and what transpired before she walked out to attempt self-immolation.- EndsMust Watch
