Tragic Incident at Odisha College Sparks Outrage Over Sexual Harassment
A Disturbing Case of Self-Immolation
New Delhi/Balasore: The Congress party has labeled the incident involving a female student at Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College in Balasore, Odisha, as a "national tragedy." This follows her alleged self-immolation due to ongoing sexual harassment by a faculty member, highlighting the pervasive sense of insecurity among women in India, particularly in light of the ruling party's perceived support for the accused rather than the victims.
The student, who had previously filed a complaint against a teacher, reportedly set herself ablaze on campus, suffering severe burns covering 90% of her body. A fellow male student who attempted to rescue her also sustained injuries, and both were promptly taken to the district hospital in Balasore.
Pawan Khera, head of Congress' media and publicity department, expressed deep concern over the incident, stating that it is tragic that a young woman felt compelled to take such drastic action after enduring relentless harassment from her department head.
"Despite her pleas for assistance—informally to the Principal, formally to the Internal Complaints Committee, and publicly to the Chief Minister and Education Minister on social media—her cries went unanswered," Khera remarked on X.
A BJP MP had called for the suspension of the Head of Department, but this request was reportedly ignored by the college principal, according to Khera.
"This situation exemplifies the failure of the Double Engine Sarkar, which does not empower even its own MPs to influence college administration in critical matters," he stated.
"This reflects institutional negligence and, more alarmingly, complicity in criminal behavior. The Head of Department must face legal consequences for driving a woman to such despair, and the Principal and Internal Complaints Committee should also be held accountable for their negligence and potential abetment," Khera added.
It is noteworthy that the victim was an office bearer of the ABVP in a state governed by the BJP, raising questions about the safety of women without access to influential networks.
Khera urged, "If this is the fate of those connected, what can ordinary women in Odisha and beyond expect?" He criticized the ruling party's slogan 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' as mere rhetoric, emphasizing that women across India feel increasingly unsafe due to the government's tendency to protect the accused rather than support victims.
He concluded by questioning, "Is this the kind of India we aspire to create for our women?"
Following the incident, the victim was transferred to AIIMS Bhubaneswar for specialized treatment, with a team of 12 doctors assigned to her care. The incident occurred after she had met with the college principal, Dilip Kumar Ghose, to discuss her harassment complaint against Assistant Professor Samira Kumar Sahu, who is also the head of her department.
In response to the gravity of the situation, the Odisha government has suspended the college principal. The victim, a second-year student in the Integrated B.Ed program, had previously staged a week-long protest on campus demanding action against the accused teacher.