In the late hours of Monday, the 21-year-old student from Odisha who set herself on fire because she felt that her sexual harassment complaint was not being addressed passed away from burn injuries. Over 95% of the victim’s body had been burned.
According to authorities, the victim, who lit herself on fire on July 12, passed away at 11.45 p.m. on Monday while receiving treatment at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar. Pravati Parida, the deputy chief minister of Odisha, met with the victim’s relatives at the hospital early on Tuesday. “Her family members are people I’ve met. For the past three days, the physicians have been doing everything they could to rescue her. Those implicated in this will face severe consequences from the authorities.
According to a statement from AIIMS-Bhubaneswar’s burns department, “The patient was intubated, placed on mechanical breathing, and given IV fluids and antibiotics to revive them. She was pronounced clinically dead at 11:46 p.m. on July 14 after failing to be revived despite proper resuscitation and full supportive care, including renal replacement treatment in the Burns ICU.
On July 12, the second-year Integrated B.Ed. student at Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College in Balasore set herself on fire on campus, claiming that her department head, Samira Kumar Sahu, had failed to take action about the sexual harassment complaint she had submitted. After fighting for her life for the previous three days, the victim passed away on Monday.
Mohan Charan Majhi, the chief minister of Odisha, declared that the accused in the case would face severe consequences. “I am extremely saddened to learn of the female student’s passing from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College,” Majhi tweeted. The victim’s life could not be saved, even though the government fulfilled all of its obligations and the skilled medical staff worked nonstop. I ask Lord Jagannath to give her family the strength to deal with this irreversible loss, and I pray for the eternal serenity of her departed soul,” he said.
“I assure the family of the deceased student that everyone involved in this case will receive the harshest punishment possible under the law,” the chief minister continued. I have personally instructed the authorities to do this. The government is solidly in support of the family.
The government was accused by the opposition of doing nothing. While her mortal remains were being transported for autopsy, Biju Janata Dal employees demonstrated on the hospital grounds.
While in Odisha on Monday for the convocation ceremony of AIIMS-Bhubaneswar, President Droupadi Murmu stopped by the college’s burns department to ask how she was feeling.
The Higher Education Department had formed a three-member team to investigate the incident. Odisha police have created a SIT to investigate the case and have arrested Kumar Sahu as well as suspended college principal Dilip Ghose.
According to accounts, the victim lit herself on fire on July 12 after visiting the principal’s chambers to enquire about the progress of her complaint. The principle allegedly forced the victim to withdraw her petition against her department head.
The victim’s father said on Monday that college officials pushed her daughter to withdraw the complaint she submitted with the Internal Complaints Committee. He informed reporters that the principal allegedly threatened his daughter with disciplinary action if she refused to withdraw her complaint.
