Odisha Student Dies After Self-Immolation in Balasore Harassment Case

A 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan (FM) Autonomous College in Balasore, Odisha, succumbed to injuries on July 14, 2025, after setting herself ablaze to protest alleged sexual harassment by a faculty member. Odisha Chief Minister (CM) Mohan Charan Majhi expressed grief and vowed justice. This article explores the tragedy, administrative failures, and the public outcry for accountability.

The student, a second-year Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) candidate, took the extreme step after her repeated complaints against Samir Kumar Sahu, Head of the Education Department, were ignored. She alleged Sahu demanded sexual favors and threatened to sabotage her academic future. On July 12, she set herself on fire outside the principal’s office, suffering 95% burns. Despite treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhubaneswar, she passed away. “My daughter was pressured to withdraw her complaint,” her father told reporters, demanding strict action against those responsible. The incident, captured on CCTV, sparked widespread outrage, with protests led by the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) outside AIIMS, calling for justice.

The college’s inaction has drawn sharp criticism. The student had lodged a formal complaint on July 1 with the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), which failed to act promptly. Balasore Superintendent of Police Raj Prasad noted delays in the committee’s report, fueling public anger. The Odisha Higher Education Department suspended both Sahu and Principal Dilip Ghosh, who were later arrested for abetment to suicide. CM Majhi, visiting AIIMS, assured “stringent action” based on a probe by a three-member committee led by Kali Prasanna Mohapatra. Conservatives view this as a failure of institutional accountability, arguing that lax oversight enabled the tragedy.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) took suo motu cognizance, with Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar demanding a time-bound investigation. Opposition parties, including BJD and Congress, have targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, with Naveen Patnaik calling the incident “deeply distressing”. The case underscores a broader crisis of campus safety, with conservatives emphasizing the need for robust systems to protect students. As Odisha mourns, the tragedy demands urgent reforms to ensure justice and prevent such horrors from recurring.