Self-Immolation Case: ‘Odisha Bandh’ On THIS Date, Opposition To Protest Over Death Of Balasore Student | India News
Eight Opposition political parties, including the Congress, on Tuesday called for ‘Odisha Bandh’ on July 17, 2025, in protest against the death of a student of Balasore Fakir Mohan Autonomous College, who had set herself on fire after allegedly facing prolonged sexual harassment by the Head of Department of her college.
Despite lodging a formal complaint with the principal, her pleas were ignored. The incident occurred at Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College. The 20-year-old student succumbed to burn injuries late last night despite a 60-hour treatment effort at AIIMS Bhubaneswar.
The state Congress President Bhakta Charan Das also demanded the resignation of the Odisha Education Minister, local MLA, and MP after the tragic incident.
Speaking to ANI, Das said, “Our demand is that the Education Minister, the MLA, and the MP–all three–should resign, and their party should expel all three… On the 17th, we have called for an Odisha bandh, and we appeal to all sections to support it.”
The Odisha Congress Chief noted that the victim, even after complaining at multiple forums, did not get justice.
“The student knocked on every door for justice and even got an FIR registered… but she did not get justice… She even went to the MLA. The MLA could have ensured justice for her, but he did not do so… The MP also did not take this matter seriously… Was it not their responsibility to take this matter seriously? … If even a little action had been taken, the situation would not have come to the point where that student had to take her own life… The government did not even realise that this is their responsibility,” he added.
Rahul Gandhi On Self-Immolation Case
Earlier, Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, called the death of the Balasore student an “organised murder by the BJP’s system,” accusing the saffron party of failing to protect the victim.
In a post on X, LoP Gandhi wrote, “The death of a daughter fighting for justice in Odisha is nothing less than a murder by the BJP’s system. That brave student raised her voice against sexual harassment, but instead of delivering justice, she was threatened, tormented, and repeatedly humiliated. Those who were supposed to protect her kept breaking her.”
CM Announces Financial Assistance
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday announced financial assistance of Rs. 20 lakh to the family of the Balasore student. He also expressed deep sorrow over her passing away of the student and assured that all guilty will be “strictly” punished.
(with ANI inputs)
