Tensions escalated in Odisha on Wednesday as police deployed water cannons and detained Biju Janata Dal (BJD) workers protesting the government’s alleged inaction following the self-immolation of a 20-year-old college student in Balasore.
The BJD staged a ‘Balasore Bandh’, condemning the ruling government’s failure to respond to repeated complaints of sexual harassment made by the student against her college teacher. Protesters burned tyres and blocked roads, demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj.
“The victim should get justice. The Chief Minister and Education Minister must resign,” a BJD protester said.
The tragic incident occurred at Fakir Mohan Autonomous College, where the student allegedly endured prolonged sexual harassment from the Head of Department. Despite filing formal complaints with the college principal and seeking help from state authorities, her appeals went unanswered, eventually leading her to take the extreme step.
The student succumbed to her injuries at AIIMS Bhubaneswar after being transferred from Balasore District Headquarters Hospital on July 12.
BJD president Naveen Patnaik sharply criticised the BJP-led Odisha government, calling it a “failed system” that ignored a young woman’s cry for justice.
“This was not an accident, but the result of a system that remained silent instead of helping,” Patnaik posted on X.
He further revealed that the student had also reached out to the Higher Education Minister, the Chief Minister’s Office, a Union Minister, and even met the local MP in her quest for justice.
The incident has triggered statewide outrage, placing immense pressure on the Odisha government to respond with swift accountability and systemic reform.
