‘Ignorance of many killed her’: Father of Balasore sexual harassment victim who self-immolated

Biju Janata Dal has called for Balasore bandh in protest against the death of student of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College by self immolation. (Image: ANI)

Father of Balasore sexual harassment victim who died at AIIMS due to burn injuries caused by self-immolation said on July 16 that it is the “ignorance of many” that “forced her daughter to take such a step.”

“My daughter spoke and paid the price for it. These people should be punished. When she complained to the Principal, the SP called me and asked me what I had to say about it. I demand punishment for those involved. Authorities already knew about the happenings. The ignorance of many forced my daughter to take such a step," the father told News18.

He demanded the arrest of the internal committee members, alleging that even they did not support his daughter when the 20-year-old raised a complaint of sexual harassment against Samir Kumar Sahu, the head of the department at Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Odisha’s Balasore.

Earlier, addressing a press conference in New Delhi, All India Mahila Congress president Alka Lamba and Odisha MLA Sofia Firdous urged President Droupadi Murmu, who was scheduled to attend the convocation ceremony at the AIIMS, Bhubaneswar on Monday (July 14), to visit the girl, as per The Hindu.

Giving details of the case, the Mahila Congress chief said,“This student is an office-bearer of the ABVP, the student affiliate of the BJP-RSS. The Head of the Department (HoD), Samir Kumar Sahu, was continuously pressuring this B.Ed. student for sexual favours and was threatening her with dire consequences if she did not comply with his demands.”

The victim student attempted suicide by setting herself on fire over the inaction on her sexual harassment complaint against her professor. The incident came to light when a video of this act surfaced online.

He said ignorance of many people who were in knowledge of his daughter’s complaint forced her to self-immolate at the college campus.

“Internal committee members should also be arrested.. No one supported my daughter," he has been quoted as saying.

The victim was brought to the casualty on July 12 and was referred from Balasore District Headquarters Hospital to AIIMS Bhubaneswar, where she succumbed to her injuries in the wee hours of July 15 (Tuesday).

The Principal of the college, Dillip Ghose, was suspended and arrested on July 14 (Monday) for failing to handle the matter properly and perform his duties, Odisha’s Higher Education Department said in the suspension order. He was also accused of shielding the HoD, who was also arrested.

The BJP workers have taken the streets to protest against the Odisha government. Police on Jully 16 (Wednesday) used water cannon to disperse BJD workers,
They also detained the BJD workers who were protesting over the Balasore student's death by self-immolation.

Odisha's main opposition party, Biju Janata Dal, took to the streets, calling for 'Balasore Bandh' in protest against the Odisha government after a 20-year-old girl self-immolated because of alleged sexual harassment by her teacher.

The BJD workers burnt tyres on the roads in Balasore, expressing anger over the "inaction" of the government that led the girl to self-immolate herself in protest of the sexual harassment.

A BJD worker demanded the resignation of the Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj.
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Earlier, BJD chief Naveen Patnaik criticised the Odisha government, calling their administration a "failed system" and blamed their inaction for the death of a Balasore college student.

Patnaik said that her death "was not an accident" but a result of a system that "remained silent instead of helping".

"It is even more disturbing to think how a failed system can take someone's life. The most painful part is that this was not an accident but rather the result of a system that remained silent instead of helping. Struggling for justice, the girl ultimately closed her eyes," Naveen Patnaik said in a post on X.

Emphasising the alleged inaction by the administration, Patnaik said that the student was ignored by the authority before despite repeated attempts to seek help.

"With great courage, she had written to the college principal, informing them about the sexual harassment she had faced. Even after being ignored by the college authorities, she did not give up. To seek justice, she reached out to the Higher Education Minister, the Chief Minister's office, and even a Union Minister. She also personally met the Balasore MP to share her plight," Patnaik said.

With inputs from ANI