Odisha Student Sets Herself On Fire After Inaction Over Sexual Harassment Complaint Against Teacher
The student was suffering from severe mental distress over the alleged sexual harassment and the lack of action against the teacher by both the college administration and the police.
A female student of a college in Odisha's Balasore district on Saturday set herself on fire in the premises of the educational institute after her complaint against a teacher over alleged sexual harassement remained unanswered.
The student remains critical and has sustained 90 per cent burn injury. Another male student, who tried to save her, suffered burns. Both of them were rushed to the District Headquarters Hospital. However, she was later transferred to AIIMS Bhubaneswar for advanced treatment, news agency PTI reported.
Assistant Professor and Principal Dilip Kumar Ghose has been suspended for negligence amid plublic outrage over the student attempting self-immolation. The accused teacher has been detained at Sahadevkhunta Police Station in Balasore.
Student Met Principal Before Attempting Self-Immolation
The incident took place Saturday afternoon after the victim, a second-year enrollee in the Integrated B.Ed programme, met the Principal of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College, Balasore. She had previously lodged a sexual harassment complaint against a teacher, who also serves as the head of the department, demanding strict action against him.
She had also staged a week-long protest in the college campus demanding action against the accused teacher.
"The student had come to me and wanted action against the teacher. I counselled her as she looked tense. She had lodged a complaint on June 30 and an internal complaint committee (ICC) inquiry was going on," Principal Dilip Ghosh said.
Senior officers, including Superintendent of Police Raj Prasad, along with a scientific team, have begun an on-site investigation to gather evidence.
Meanwhile, Balasore MLA Manas Dutta, who visited the hospital, said: "The health condition of the woman student is critical. Our first priority is to save her life."
Friends of the student revealed that she had been suffering from severe mental distress over the alleged sexual harassment and the lack of action against the teacher by both the college administration and the police.
The incident has triggered tension within the college campus.
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