Anger over Balasore student’s death spills onto streets; cops deploy water cannons, tear gas; Oppn calls state bandh

Odisha Police used water cannons to disperse opposition party Biju Janata Dal (BJD) workers protesting against the state government in Bhubaneswar over the death of a 20-year-old girl student who immolated herself because of alleged sexual harassment by her professor in college. The second-year B.Ed. student of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College died at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar on Monday night after fighting for her life for three days.
She had set herself on fire on the campus on Saturday (July 12) over alleged inaction against a professor who allegedly sexually harassed her.

Hundreds of BJD workers carrying party flags burnt tyres on major roads in Balasore, expressing anger over the “inaction” of the government and demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj.

There was heavy police deployment and drones were used to monitor crowd movement.

Apart from Balasore town, BJD workers also held demonstrations in Jaleswar, Basta, Soro, Baliapal and Bhograi.

“People are very angry over the denial of justice to the student who ultimately set herself on fire and died. We will continue the agitation till the BJP government announces a judicial probe into the incident,” said BJD leader Debi Prasad Mishra.

Arrests made in Balasore case

The student, a second-year B.Ed student, had reportedly complained about sexual harassment by her professor, but no action was taken. The police have now arrested the college principal and the accused professor, who is also head of the education department.

Odisha CM announces compensation for family

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced a compensation of ₹20 lakh for the student’s family. He also ordered a detailed investigation into the matter to ensure all those responsible are held accountable.

A statement from the Chief Minister’s Office said, “The CM has directed concerned officers to investigate the case thoroughly and ensure strict legal action.”

Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati said in a post on social media platform X, “Shattered to learn of the untimely loss of a young student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College. Her passing is not just a tragedy—it is a stark reminder of the urgent need to safeguard our campuses.”

Odisha bandh on Thursday

Meanwhile, eight opposition parties including the Congress have called for Odisha bandh on July 17.

Odisha Congress president Bhakta Charan Das announced that the bandh is supported by several parties, including Left-aligned groups. He accused the state government of negligence and failure to ensure women’s safety in educational institutions.

The Odisha bandh is likely to disrupt public transport and daily services, especially in Balasore and nearby districts.

Student complained to multiple authorities in vain

The student had accused her college Head of Department of harassment repeatedly and had reached out to the college principal and higher authorities, but her complaints were allegedly ignored.

BJD chief Naveen Patnaik has criticised the state government’s handling of the case. “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,” Patnaik said in a post on X.

“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.