Odisha: Protests Erupt In Balasore After Student Dies By Suicide Over Alleged Harassment

Police use water cannon to disperse BJD workers. (Screen grab: ANI)

BJD workers staged a protest in Odisha's Balasore district on Wednesday after a 20-year-old college student died by self-immolation. The student died by suicide, allegedly due to prolonged sexual harassment by her teacher.

As part of the protest, BJD workers burned tyres on roads in Balasore, expressing anger over the government's alleged inaction, which they claimed had driven the student to take the extreme step.

Following the demonstration, police used water cannons to disperse the protestors and detained several BJD workers involved in the agitation.

#WATCH | Bhubaneswar, Odisha | Police use water cannon to disperse BJD workers protesting over Balasore student's death by self-immolation.

Biju Janata Dal is also observing a Balasore bandh in protest over a Balasore student's death by self-immolation. pic.twitter.com/jDKQZzCbbq

— ANI (@ANI) July 16, 2025

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 the tragic incident. The incident occurred at Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College.

Earlier, BJD chief Naveen Patnaik criticised the Odisha government, calling their administration a "failed system" and blamed their inaction for the death of a Balasore college student.

Patnaik said that her death "was not an accident" but a result of a system that "remained silent instead of helping".

"It is even more disturbing to think how a failed system can take someone's life. The most painful part is that this was not an accident but rather the result of a system that remained silent instead of helping. Struggling for justice, the girl ultimately closed her eyes," Naveen Patnaik said in a post on X.

Emphasising the alleged inaction by the administration, Patnaik said that the student was ignored by the authority before despite repeated attempts to seek help.

"With great courage, she had written to the college principal, informing them about the sexual harassment she had faced. Even after being ignored by the college authorities, she did not give up. To seek justice, she reached out to the Higher Education Minister, the Chief Minister's office, and even a Union Minister. She also personally met the Balasore MP to share her plight," Patnaik said.

On Monday, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhubaneswar confirmed the death of the 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Odisha's Balasore, who had attempted self-immolation.

The Department of Burn Centre, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, said in a statement that the patient was brought to the casualty on July 12 and was referred from Balasore District Headquarters Hospital to AIIMS Bhubaneswar.

(With ANI Inputs)