Eight opposition parties, led by the Congress, called a day-long Odisha bandh on July 17 to protest the death of the college student who set herself on fire following inaction over her sexual harassment complaint against a professor.
Congress says state govt failed to protect women
Giving details, Odisha Congress president Bhakta Charan Das said the bandh is being supported by eight parties, including the Left. He also 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 added that 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 fire 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.
Odisha CM Majhi announces ex gratia of Rs 20 lakh
Earlier in the day, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced ex gratia of Rs 20 lakh for the family of the college student who died by setting herself on fire over alleged inaction on her sexual harassment complaint.
The CM directed officers concerned to conduct a proper investigation into the incident so that all guilty are punished in accordance with the law, according to a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).
Odisha Governor expresses grief
Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati also expressed grief over the death of the student. "Shattered to learn of the untimely loss of a young student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College. Her passing is not just a tragedy—it is a stark reminder of the urgent need to safeguard our campuses," he said in a post on X.
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