Harassed by Senior Faculty, 20-Year-Old Balasore FM College Student Loses Battle of Life, Protests Erupts Outside AIIMS Bhubaneswar

Balasore/Bhubaneswar: A deeply worrying case has shocked Odisha and the entire country. A 20-year-old B.Ed student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore, Odisha, died on 14 July at AIIMS Bhubaneswar after self-immolating on 12 July. The victim experienced monthslong sexual harassment from her head of department and self-immolated after her complaints were ignored by the college administration.

#WATCH | Bhubaneswar, Odisha | Congress workers, early morning today, staged a protest following the death of the Balasore self-immolation student victim, outside AIIMS. The protesting Congress workers were detained by police. pic.twitter.com/JGdx6I1BkS

— ANI (@ANI) July 15, 2025

Complaints Ignored, Student Takes Drastic Step

The student provided many written complaints that claimed a senior staff member consistently engaged in sexual harassment with her. Regardless of their complaints, no one acted. The principal dismissed her complaints. With no institutional support, the victim self-immolated in her home.

President Droupadi Murmu, while in Odisha for scheduled official duties, visited the critically injured student at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhubaneswar on July 14, just hours before she died. This visit provided urgency to the investigation as well.

Protest Outside AIIMS Bhubaneswar

Once the student died, dozens of students, civil society members, and political workers protested outside AIIMS Bhubaneswar, calling for swift justice. The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) challenged the ruling BJP with slogans such as "Beti Padhao, Beti Jalao?" in response to the government's failure to protect young women.

Arrests of the College Authorities

Due to the outrage of the public, the Odisha police arrested both the accused professor and the college principal. The principal has been suspended pending further investigation. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi pledged the "toughest punishment" and ordered an internal investigation of how the college had handled the complaints of harassment.

NCW Intervenes; Seeks Comprehensive Action Report

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo moto cognizance of this case and directed the Director General of Police (DGP) of Odisha to submit a comprehensive action report. The NCW suggested that the victim's grieving family should also receive the necessary psychological and legal support.