Balasore (Odisha) [India], July 15 (ANI): BJP MP from Balasore, Pratap Chandra Sarangi, on Tuesday called the incident “unprecedented” following the death of a 20-year-old student who had attempted self-immolation.
Sarangi said the student had visited him on July 2 along with friends to report the issue. He claimed he had spoken to the college principal and police, asking them to file an FIR and take action.
He further added that the principal and a professor were suspended within 12 hours of the incident and those raising questions are just trying to mislead.
Speaking to ANI, Pratap Chandra Sarangi said, “This incident is unprecedented. On 2nd July, this girl and a few of her friends came to me. Soon after, I spoke to the college principal and SP. The SP said police have asked the college to file an FIR. I also asked them (Police & College authorities) to file an FIR. The principal said that he was dealing with this case internally, and a decision will be made within a week. I had even requested HoD Sameer Babu to be sent on leave. I got information that she had attempted suicide before…Within 12 hours, the college principal and professor were suspended. Those raising questions are only trying to mislead…”
Meanwhile, Odisha State Congress President Bhakta Charan Das has called for a statewide “bandh” on July 17 in protest against the death of a student of Balasore Fakir Mohan Autonomous College, who self-immolated herself in protest over sexual harassment by her teacher.
Das demanded the resignation of the State Education Minister, local MLA and MP over the death of the Balasore student.
“Our demand is that the Education Minister, the MLA, and the MP–all three–should resign, and their party should expel all three… On the 17th, we have called for an Odisha bandh, and we appeal to all sections to support it,” Das told ANI.
The Odisha Congress Chief alleged that the victim, even after complaining at multiple forums, did not get justice.
The 20-year-old student set herself on fire after allegedly facing prolonged sexual harassment by her college’s Head of Department. Despite lodging a formal complaint and seeking help from the principal, her pleas were ignored, leading to her taking the drastic step inside the campus of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College on Saturday.
Yesterday, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhubaneswar confirmed that the student had succumbed to her burns. She was first admitted to the Balasore district hospital before being moved to AIIMS.
Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College Education Head of Department Samira Kumar Sahu and Principal Dilip Ghose have been arrested in the case. (ANI)
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