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Agencies/Thenewsdose.com

Balasore/Bhubaneswar, July 15:
A 20-year-old college student from Odisha’s Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College in Balasore, who had set herself ablaze following alleged sexual harassment by a professor, succumbed to her injuries late Monday night at AIIMS Bhubaneswar. The incident has triggered widespread public and political outrage, with demands for justice and accountability from across party lines.

Tragic End After Three-Day Battle for Life

The second-year Integrated B.Ed student had suffered 95% burns after she self-immolated on the college campus on Saturday, reportedly over inaction by the authorities following her complaint of sexual harassment against the head of the Education Department, Samira Kumar Sahu.

She was first rushed to Balasore District Hospital and then referred to AIIMS Bhubaneswar, where she remained in the ICU of the Burns Department for three days. A statement from the hospital read: “Despite all possible resuscitative efforts, including IV fluids, antibiotics, mechanical ventilation, and renal replacement therapy, the patient could not be revived and was declared clinically dead at 11:46 pm on July 14.”

Case Treated As FIR, Probe Intensifies

The student’s letter dated July 1 to the college’s Internal Complaint Committee (ICC), detailing the harassment, is being treated as the First Information Report (FIR), police officials confirmed.

In response to the public outcry, the Odisha Police has formed a Swift Trial Initiative (STI) team to fast-track the investigation. DIG (Eastern Range) Satyajit Naik stated that the special team includes investigators, forensic experts, and public prosecutors who will ensure a coordinated and evidence-driven probe.“The STI team is working to gather medical records, digital evidence, and conduct forensic analysis to build a strong legal case,” Naik said. So far, accused professor Samira Kumar Sahu was arrested on Saturday. The college principal, Dillip Kumar Ghose, has also been taken into custody for alleged abetment to suicide.

Political Reactions: CM, President, and Opposition Speak Out

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed deep grief and pledged justice. In a post on X, he wrote:“Despite the government’s full commitment and tireless efforts by the medical team, the student’s life could not be saved. I have personally instructed strict action. The guilty will not be spared.” President Droupadi Murmu, who was at AIIMS Bhubaneswar for its convocation on Monday, made an unscheduled visit to the burns unit and enquired about the student’s condition hours before her death.

Meanwhile, the body was sent to her native village Palasia in Balasore after a late-night post-mortem at AIIMS. Protests by opposition parties broke out outside the hospital, alleging a government cover-up.

Opposition Erupts, Alleges Institutional Failure

Leaders of the opposition BJD and Congress staged protests inside the AIIMS campus late on Monday night, accusing the government of failing to protect the victim. Police eventually evicted them to allow passage for the ambulance carrying the student’s body.

BJD leader Ipsita Sahoo accused the government of conducting a “hasty post-mortem to suppress evidence” and demanded the resignation of Higher Education Minister Suraj Suryabanshi. Congress youth leader Syed Yashir Nawaz said the victim “ran from pillar to post” in search of justice, but her pleas were ignored.

Rahul Gandhi Calls It ‘Organised Murder’ by BJP System

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi strongly condemned the incident, calling the student’s death an “organised murder” by the BJP-led system.“That brave student raised her voice against sexual exploitation — but instead of justice, she was threatened, harassed, and humiliated. The BJP system protected the accused and pushed her to suicide,” he posted on X.

Balasore MP Blames Principal’s Inaction

Balasore MP Pratap Sarangi also acknowledged administrative failure, stating that the college principal did not properly handle the ICC’s investigation. He revealed that the student had personally approached him, and he had advised her to file a police complaint.“The principal reportedly told the student that her allegation was false. This insensitive response may have triggered her extreme step,” Sarangi said.