Balasore, Odisha | July 14, 2025 : A shocking incident at Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College in Balasore, Odisha, has brought national attention to issues of sexual harassment and institutional failure. A second-year integrated B.Ed student set herself on fire on campus after alleging repeated sexual harassment by her department head and inaction by college authorities.

The student had filed a formal complaint with the college’s Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) on July 1, accusing Assistant Professor Samir Kumar Sahu of persistent harassment. She alleged that he demanded sexual favours in exchange for academic leniency and threatened to ruin her academic future when she refused. On the same day, she lodged a police complaint but, according to sources, received little support or follow-up action.

In the days that followed, she publicly protested the lack of response. She claimed the college had promised to act within a week but did not initiate any meaningful action against the accused faculty member. The delay and perceived neglect pushed her to a desperate act.

On Saturday, she doused herself in petrol and set herself ablaze near the college principal’s office. Another student who tried to rescue her sustained severe burn injuries. Both were rushed to the district hospital in Balasore and later transferred to AIIMS Bhubaneswar due to the critical nature of their injuries. Medical staff reported that the victim suffered burns on over 90% of her body and remains in extremely critical condition.

In the immediate aftermath, Odisha’s Higher Education Department suspended Principal Dr. Dilip Kumar Ghosh and Assistant Professor Samir Kumar Sahu. The Balasore Police also arrested Sahu, who has since been remanded to judicial custody. A special investigative team has been constituted to probe the case thoroughly.

Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj visited AIIMS Bhubaneswar to meet with the victim’s family and medical team. He announced that the state government would cover all medical expenses and promised swift justice. A high-level inquiry committee has been set up to assess the actions of the ICC, the college administration, and the local police.

The incident has sparked widespread outrage across the state and the country. Student groups, women’s rights organizations, and political leaders have demanded stronger accountability measures in educational institutions. Many have condemned the culture of silence and delay that often surrounds complaints of sexual harassment in academia.

Opposition parties criticized the government, stating that students, especially young women are not safe in educational spaces. Protests have erupted on campuses across Odisha, with calls for institutional reform and stricter implementation of the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) guidelines on prevention of sexual harassment.

A 12-member medical team continues to monitor the student’s condition. Meanwhile, the inquiry will examine procedural lapses by the college and police, and whether deliberate neglect worsened the situation.

This tragic episode has once again highlighted the urgent need for educational institutions to respond swiftly, transparently, and sensitively to complaints of sexual misconduct, before inaction leads to irreversible consequences.