Odisha Observes 12-Hour Bandh As Outrage Grows Over Student's Suicide: What's Open And What's Closed?

Odisha observes a 12-hour bandh today as 8 opposition parties protest a student's suicide over alleged sexual harassment. Schools, markets closed; essential services open.

Security personnel deploy water cannons to disperse Biju Janata Dal (BJD) activists during a protest near Lok Seva Bhawan (PHOTO: IANS)

A 12-hour state-wide 'bandh' (shutdown) is ongoing in Odisha today, Thursday, organised by a coalition of eight opposition parties. The extensive protest seeks justice for a 20-year-old college student who died in a tragic fire after having attempted self-immolation, reportedly over the lack of action on her complaint against sexual harassment by a professor.

The student, a second-year B.Ed. student at Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore, died of her injuries at AIIMS Bhubaneswar late on Monday night, July 14, after sustaining severe burns. She had immolated herself on the college campus on Saturday, July 12, alleging her sexual harassment complaints were not taken seriously by the authorities.

The 'bandh', which was called early today and was to go on until 6 PM, has taken a heavy toll on daily life in the state. Markets, shops, schools, and colleges are shut, and traffic has been mostly halted, causing roads to be empty as reported by Odisha TV.

But necessary healthcare services, such as pharmacies, ambulances, and other health facilities, are functioning normally. Although there has not been any official government notice for the closure of state offices and banks, low staffing is expected. Train services also might encounter delays because of anticipated demonstrations and protests all day long.

The fervor of the protest was witnessed on Wednesday, July 16, specifically in Balasore, where Biju Janata Dal (BJD) workers organized protests, occupying roads and setting tires ablaze. Similar protest was seen in Jaleswar, Basta, Soro, Baliapal, and Bhograi, resulting in traffic control by the police.

The ghastly accident has set off a ferocious political storm. BJD leader Debi Prasad Mishra articulated the outrage of the people, asserting, "People are very angry over the denial of justice to the student who ultimately set herself on fire and died." He promised that his party would continue protesting throughout Odisha "till the BJP government announces a judicial probe into the incident."

Opposition parties like the Congress and BJD have charged the BJP-ruled Odisha government of a cover-up and are calling for the immediate dismissal of Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has described the death of the student as not a suicide but an "organised murder by the system" and accused her of having been threatened and humiliated rather than given justice.

To this, the state government has released a ₹20 lakh compensation for the family of the victim and revealed that the principal of the college and the Head of the Education Department have been arrested in regards to the case. They have appealed to other opposition parties not to politicize the tragedy and promised severe action against all the perpetrators. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has also constituted a four-member fact-finding committee to probe the incident, including whether institutional policies and grievance redressal are effective.