Congress workers staged a protest outside AIIMS Bhubaneswar on Tuesday morning, demanding justice for the 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore, who died after attempting self-immolation following alleged sexual harassment.
The protest led to heightened tensions at the hospital premises, prompting police to detain several demonstrators.
The student succumbed to her injuries late on Monday night, after battling for her life for three days in the ICU of AIIMS Bhubaneswar’s Burn Centre. According to hospital authorities, she was put on mechanical ventilation and underwent intensive treatment, but could not be revived and was declared clinically dead at 11:46 PM on July 14.
The young woman reportedly took the extreme step after facing persistent harassment by her college’s Head of Department. Despite lodging formal complaints and appealing to the principal for intervention, her pleas were allegedly ignored.
The incident has triggered statewide outrage and drawn political reactions. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed deep sorrow and vowed strict legal action. “I assure the family of the deceased student that all those guilty in this case will face the strictest punishment as per the law,” he stated on X.
The protest by Congress workers reflects growing public anger over administrative negligence and rising demands for accountability within the educational system.
