Odisha student dies after self-immolation; college principal arrested

The student who attempted self-immolation on the campus of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College in Balasore, Odisha, has died. She passed away around 11.45 pm on Monday at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, where she had been undergoing treatment for the past three days.

Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, who visited the hospital, told the media, “She (victim) died around 11.45 pm. I have met her family members. The doctors were trying their best to save her for the last 3 days...The government will take stringent action against those who are involved in this…”

The case has sparked massive outrage across the state. On Monday, police arrested Dillip Ghose, the principal of the college, for allegedly failing to act on the student's complaint of sexual harassment against a professor.

Ghose had already been suspended by the Higher Education Department on Saturday, which noted that he had failed to handle the complaint properly and neglected his duties as the institution’s head. He is accused of shielding Samira Kumar Sahu, the Head of the Education Department, who has also been arrested.

According to the victim’s father, the student set herself ablaze just minutes after coming out of the principal’s office. "The principal had put pressure on her to withdraw the complaint against the teacher who sexually and mentally harassed my daughter," he said. The state’s Crime Branch has deployed a two-member team to investigate the incident, while the Education Department has formed a three-member inquiry committee to look into the case.
(With PTI, ANI Inputs)