By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, July 16, 2025: Eight opposition parties, led by the Congress, called an Odisha bandh on July 17 to protest the death of the college student who set herself on re following inaction over her sexual harassment complaint against a professor.

State Congress president Bhakta Charan Das said the bandh is being supported by eight parties, including the Left. He claimed the incident, which happened at the Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College in Balasore, showed that the state government has failed to protect women. “She brought petrol, and everyone watched silently. No one acted,” he said, attacking the ruling BJP.

Das said the bandh has been called to seek justice for the deceased student. The second-year B.Ed student died on Monday night at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar after fighting for her life for three days. She set herself on the campus on Saturday over alleged inaction against a professor who allegedly sexually harassed her. She had suffered 95 per cent burns. The principal and the HoD of the Education Department of the college have been arrested in the case.

“Meri bacchi ko maar dal (my daughter was killed),” said the father of deceased student, Soumyashri, who succumbed to severe burn injuries after setting herself on fire inside the college campus.

Her death has sparked widespread outrage in Odisha. Former Chief Minister and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik held the BJP-led state government responsible for what he called “institutional betrayal” and “planned injustice”. In a strongly worded statement, Patnaik said the student went from pillar to post for justice but was failed by the very system meant to protect her.

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.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has assured strict action against those responsible for the death of a 20-year-old student of Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore, who attempted self-immolation over alleged sexual harassment by a faculty member and later succumbed to burn injuries at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar late last night. He also announced 20 lakh rupees ex-gratia to the family of the deceased girl.

President Droupadi Murmu met the parents of the girl student yesterday evening at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar and expressed deep concern over the incident.

Meanwhile, the family has demanded a thorough probe into the role of the accused professor, the principal, and the Internal Committee. They have asked why the victim was made to meet alone behind closed doors and what transpired before she walked out to attempt self-immolation.