Bhubaneswar: A 22-year-old B.Ed student from Odisha’s Fakir Mohan Autonomous College, who had set herself ablaze in protest against inaction on her sexual harassment complaint, succumbed to her injuries late Sunday night after three days of critical care at AIIMS Bhubaneswar.
The student had accused her Head of Department, Professor Samir Kumar Sahu, of repeated sexual harassment and had detailed months of abuse in a written complaint to the college’s Internal Complaints Committee on July 1. Despite being promised action within seven days, no steps were taken.
On July 12, during a student-led protest outside the college, the woman suddenly rushed towards the principal’s office area and set herself on fire. She sustained over 90% burns and was admitted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar, where she was declared clinically dead at 11:46 pm on July 14.
In a statement, AIIMS said all possible efforts, including renal replacement therapy and critical care support, had been made to save her life.
The tragedy has sparked statewide outrage. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed deep sorrow and assured justice. “All those responsible will face the strictest punishment,” he said, adding that he has issued personal instructions to authorities to act swiftly.
Both Professor Samir Kumar Sahu and college principal Dilip Ghosh have been arrested. The victim’s father alleged that members of the Internal Complaints Committee and the principal pressured the family to withdraw the complaint, even threatening them with false FIRs.
Her brother, speaking to NDTV, vowed to fight for justice, while the incident has triggered protests, political reactions, and renewed demands for institutional accountability and urgent reforms in grievance redressal mechanisms in educational institutions.