Balasore Student Death: Harassment Allegations and Institutional Inaction Under Scrutiny

As the tragic death of a 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College in Balasore continues to spark public outrage, new details have emerged suggesting alleged misconduct and institutional failure in responding to her complaints.

The student, enrolled in the second year of the Integrated B.Ed program, had submitted a formal complaint to the college’s Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) on July 1, accusing Professor Samira Kumar Sahoo of sexual harassment. In her letter, she alleged that the professor had asked her for a “favour,” and that her refusal resulted in sustained mental harassment.

According to a report by India Today, Minati Sethi, a member of the ICC, disclosed that during an internal inquiry, the student recounted an unsettling exchange with the professor. When she questioned the nature of the "favour," Sahoo allegedly responded, “You are not a child to not understand what favour I need.” Sethi, however, added that the committee found it difficult to substantiate the allegation due to a lack of concrete evidence. “It is very difficult to gather evidence on such charges,” she said.

The report further indicates that the student was deeply distressed after being barred from appearing in her semester examination on June 30, an action reportedly taken by the same professor. This incident, according to Sethi, had a significant emotional impact on the student.

Following the complaint, the ICC recommended Sahoo’s removal from his post as Head of the Integrated B.Ed department. However, ICC Coordinator Jayshree Mishra stated that the recommendation was based on Sahoo’s "strict approach" rather than the sexual harassment allegations. Mishra also confirmed that no action was taken by the college authorities in response to the committee’s recommendation.

On July 12, the student set herself ablaze on campus shortly after leaving the principal’s office. She was initially admitted to the Balasore District Headquarters Hospital and later shifted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar, where she succumbed to burn injuries covering 95% of her body. She was declared dead just hours after being visited by President Droupadi Murmu at the ICU of the burn unit.

The incident has prompted widespread public mourning, with thousands attending the student’s funeral, held on Tuesday before noon.

The student’s father has publicly held the ICC members responsible for his daughter’s death, accusing them of producing a biased and inadequate investigation report. “My daughter would have been alive today had the ICC conducted a proper probe into her allegation,” he stated.

In the wake of mounting pressure, both the accused professor and the college principal have been arrested in connection with the case. The incident has reignited national conversations on institutional accountability in cases of campus harassment and the need for robust, victim-sensitive grievance redressal mechanisms.