Odisha Student Sets Herself on Fire After Harassment Complaint Ignored by Institution

On July 12, 2025, a 20-year-old B.Ed student at Fakir Mohan Autonomous College, Balasore, Odisha, walked into her college premises with a bottle of kerosene. After one final, failed meeting with the principal, she stepped into a relatively secluded area and set herself on fire.

She had made multiple written complaints about sexual harassment by her Head of Department, but they were met with delays, silence, and institutional gaslighting. The flames that consumed her were not just fire, but also abandonment, humiliation, and erasure. She succumbed to her injuries two days later at AIIMS Bhubaneswar. Yet the questions she raised through her actions and her final cries now burn across the conscience of a nation: Why was no one listening? Why did she have to die to be taken seriously?

According to her classmates, she had confided in them about the HOD’s coercive behaviour for months. He allegedly demanded sexual favours, exploited his authority, and retaliated with academic threats when she resisted. In June, she filed a formal written complaint to the college’s Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), which conducted a preliminary investigation. The ICC reportedly confirmed the allegations and recommended that the accused be removed or transferred immediately from his role. Yet, the college administration chose not to act. The HOD remained in power, continuing to interact with students—including her. Her pleas were not anonymous whispers. They were loud, written, procedural, and brave—yet still, nothing changed.

It is easy to point fingers at the HOD alone. But that would be ignoring the ecosystem that sheltered him. In this case, every layer of the system enabled the abuse. Despite the ICC recommendation, the principal did not act. No temporary suspension. No transfer. No distancing of the accused from the complainant. While the committee verified the complaint, it lacked the power to enforce its recommendations. This highlights a critical flaw in Indian colleges: ICCs function more like advisory panels than protective bodies. Several students have reported that the accused HOD began manipulating student opinion, suggesting the complaint was false and painting himself as the victim. Instead of standing by the survivor, many students distanced themselves, creating an isolating and toxic environment for her.

Perhaps the most disturbing element of this tragedy is the lack of police intervention. Despite the formal complaint and the ICC’s findings, no FIR was registered before the self-immolation. Only after her death did the Crime Branch’s Women and Children Wing initiate an investigation. This was not procedural delay; it was institutional betrayal. It raises critical legal questions: Why didn’t the principal escalate the complaint to the police? Why didn’t the ICC inform law enforcement when it found merit in the allegations? Why was the accused allowed to continue teaching? Much of India’s discourse around sexual abuse revolves around the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO). POCSO is a landmark law that provides stringent punishments and mandatory procedures when minors (below 18) are abused. But this student was 20. That meant POCSO didn’t apply. Under existing laws (like IPC Section 354A for sexual harassment), college students like her must rely on internal redressal systems and police complaints—both of which are often weak, slow, or corrupt.

This is not an isolated case. It is a symptom of a rotting structure, where educational institutions routinely side with perpetrators under the guise of ‘discipline’ and ‘reputation management.’ January 2023, Bihar: A minor girl died by suicide after her school principal harassed her. The school dismissed her complaint until protests erupted. July 2024, Madhya Pradesh: A Class IX girl hung herself after two male teachers molested her in class. Her parents alleged that complaints were made repeatedly, but police took no action until her death. Odisha, March 2025: A female hostel warden was accused of coercing students for sexual favours on behalf of male staff. Again, action was taken only after media covered it.

The death sparked statewide outrage in Odisha. Student unions held candle marches and protests, demanding the arrest of the HOD and suspension of the principal. Women’s rights organisations condemned the state’s failure to ensure safety for women in education. The Odisha diaspora in the US and Canada organised online vigils and demanded judicial reform. Politicians, including opposition leaders, called for a High Court-monitored investigation. The University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Odisha Higher Education Department have since formed investigative committees.

This case demands more than punishment for one man. It demands an overhaul of how we protect students: Students aged 18–25, especially in residential and hierarchical institutions, should be covered under POCSO-style safeguards. Internal Complaints Committees must have binding power, and non-compliance should be a punishable offence. Any sexual harassment complaint by a student against staff should automatically trigger police registration, not wait for administrative review. Principals, administrators, and ICC members who fail to act must face suspension and criminal investigation.

The Balasore student’s death is not just a tragedy; it is a damning indictment of the very structures meant to protect her. Her suffering was preventable, her voice clear, and her complaints legitimate. Yet she was failed at every level: by her college, her community, and the law. As a society, we must confront an uncomfortable truth: when institutions prioritize silence, prestige, or loyalty over justice, they become complicit in violence. If we let her story fade, we are ensuring it happens again. Accountability is not enough. We need transformation.

If you are experiencing harassment, abuse, or emotional distress, help is available. Contact your local women’s helpline or mental health service. You are not alone.

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