Odisha Balasore student who self-immolated over inaction on sexual harassment charges succumbs to burn injuries
The 21-year-old Odisha student who set herself ablaze over alleged inaction on her sexual harassment complaint succumbed to burn injuries during the late hours of Monday. The victim had suffered over 95 per cent burns.
The victim, who set herself ablaze on July 12, was undergoing treatment at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar and breathed her last at 11.45pm on Monday, authorities said. Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida visited the hospital during the early hours of Tuesday and met the victim's family. "I have met her family members. The doctors were trying their best to save her for the last three days. The government will take stringent action against those who are involved in this."
The burns department at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar said in a statement, "The patient was resuscitated with IV fluids, IV antibiotics, intubated and put on mechanical ventilation. Despite adequate resuscitation and all possible supportive management, including renal replacement therapy at the Burns ICU, she could not be revived and was declared clinically dead at 11.46pm on July 14."
The second-year Integrated B.Ed student of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College, Balasore, self-immolated on July 12 in college premises, alleging inaction over the sexual harassment complaint she filed against her department head, Samira Kumar Sahu. The victim breathed her last on Monday, after battling for her life for the last three days.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said stern action would be taken against the accused in the case. Majhi tweeted, "I am deeply saddened to hear the news of the demise of the female student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College. Despite the government's fulfilment of all responsibilities and the tireless efforts of the expert medical team, the victim's life could not be saved. I pray for the eternal peace of her departed soul and beseech Lord Jagannath to grant strength to her family to bear this irreparable loss," he tweeted.
The chief minister added, "I assure the family of the deceased student that all those guilty in this case will face the strictest punishment as per the law. For this, I have personally issued instructions to the authorities. The government stands firmly with the family."
The opposition blamed the government of inaction. Biju Janata Dal workers protested on the hospital premises while her mortal remains were being taken for autopsy.
President Droupadi Murmu, who was in Odisha on Monday to attend the convocation ceremony of AIIMS-Bhubaneswar, had visited the burns department at the college and enquired about her health.
The Higher Education department had set up a three-member committee to probe into the incident. Odisha police have formed an SIT to probe the case and have arrested Kumar Sahu and suspended college principal Dilip Ghose in connection with the case.
According to reports, the victim set herself ablaze on July 12 after visiting the principal in his chamber to inquire about the status of her complaint. Allegedly, the principal forced the victim to withdraw the petition against her department head.
The victim's father on Monday charged that college authorities forced her daughter to withdraw the complaint filed with the Internal Complaints Committee. He told reporters that the principal allegedly warned disciplinary action against his daughter if she refused to withdraw her complaint.
-with inputs from Lalit Pattajoshi.
India