Bhubaneswar, July 15 - An Odisha student who set herself on fire after allegedly being sexually harassed by a professor has died during treatment at AIIMS hospital. The second-year Integrated B.Ed. student of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College in Balasore was in critical condition for three days. She had taken this big step on Saturday after alleged lack of action against the professor and had suffered 95 percent burns.
Expressing grief over the death of the student, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said that all the culprits in this case will be punished to the fullest extent of the law. The student was first admitted to Balasore District Hospital and then taken to AIIMS Bhubaneswar for better treatment. According to officials, she was undergoing treatment in the ICU of the Burn Centre department.
The Burn Centre department said in a statement, “The patient was resuscitated with IV fluids, IV antibiotics, intubated and put on mechanical ventilation. But she was declared clinically dead at 11:46 pm on July 14.”
In a post on X, the Chief Minister said, “I am deeply saddened to hear the news of the death of the student of Fakir Mohan Autonomous College. Despite the government discharging all responsibilities and the tireless efforts of the expert medical team, the life of the victim could not be saved.”
“I assure the family of the deceased student that all the accused in this case will be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Therefore, I have personally issued instructions to the officials. The government stands firmly with the family.”
President Draupadi Murmu visited the Burn and Plastic Surgery Department on Monday evening and inquired about the condition of the student.
As soon as the hospital announced the death of the student, BJD and Congress leaders and activists protested inside the AIIMS campus late on Monday night. The police forcibly removed the opposition members to clear the road for the movement of the vehicle carrying the body. Sameera Kumar Sahu, head of the education department of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College, and Principal Dilip Ghosh have been arrested in this case.