Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], July 15: Odisha Congress President Bhakta Charan Das has called for a statewide bandh on July 17 following the tragic death of a 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore, who self-immolated after allegedly facing prolonged sexual harassment by her college professor.
The student succumbed to her burn injuries late last night after undergoing 60 hours of treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar.
Das demanded the resignation of the State Education Minister, as well as the local MLA and MP, holding them responsible for failing to ensure justice.
“Our demand is that the Education Minister, the MLA, and the MP—all three—should resign. Their party must expel them. We have called for an Odisha bandh on the 17th and appeal to all sections of society to support it,” Das said.
Das alleged that the victim made multiple efforts to seek justice, including filing an FIR and approaching elected representatives, but was ignored at every level.
“She knocked on every door for help—even the MLA and MP—but no one acted. If even minimal action had been taken, the situation would not have escalated to this point. The government failed in its duty,” he added.
Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi also reacted strongly to the incident, calling it an “organized murder by the BJP’s system.”
“That brave student raised her voice against sexual harassment but was threatened and humiliated. Those responsible for protecting her broke her instead,” Gandhi wrote in a post on X.
“This is not suicide—it is systemic murder. Modi ji, whether in Odisha or Manipur, daughters of the nation are suffering. The country doesn’t need silence—it needs justice.”
The student had reportedly filed a formal complaint against the Head of Department at her college and sought help from the principal. However, her repeated pleas were ignored, ultimately leading her to take the extreme step.
The incident has triggered outrage across the state, with mounting calls for justice and accountability from both civil society and political leaders.