Student sets herself ablaze over ignored sexual harassment complaint in Odisha college

In a deeply disturbing case that has sparked outrage across Odisha, a young woman student from a reputed government college in Balasore set herself on fire after alleging persistent sexual harassment by a senior faculty member and being ignored by college authorities and police.

The woman, who is battling for life with 90% burn injuries, is undergoing treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar. Doctors have termed her condition “extremely critical” and formed a special team to manage her care.

The incident has triggered swift administrative action. The state higher education department suspended both the college principal and the accused faculty member, citing prima facie evidence. Police have arrested the teacher, who is now in judicial custody.

According to fellow students, the woman had been staging a sit-in protest on campus, accusing the head of her department of harassing her for months. She had reportedly filed a written complaint with the college's Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), but no substantial action was taken.

Sources said the ICC submitted a report on July 9 but failed to make any recommendation on the harassment charges. The student had also approached the police on July 1, but her FIR allegedly went unaddressed.

“She told us he was demanding inappropriate favours and threatening to ruin her academic record if she didn’t comply,” said one student. The woman had also accused the faculty member of obstructing her from attending classes.

On July 12, in a horrific act of desperation, the woman doused herself with petrol and set herself ablaze on the college campus. Several students who rushed to help suffered minor burns.

Following the incident, the Odisha government acknowledged administrative negligence. “The principal failed to carry out his duties,” a statement from the higher education department read.

Balasore SP Raj Prasad said a special investigation team has been constituted to probe the entire episode. “We are verifying the ICC’s inquiry process and timeline,” he added, defending the police delay by saying they were awaiting the ICC’s report.

Odisha Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj has also announced a separate probe by a panel of senior officials and educationists to investigate the lapses in protocol and protection.

As the student continues her fight for survival, the incident has ignited a statewide demand for accountability, stronger safeguards for women in educational institutions, and swift justice for survivors of harassment.