Balasore (Odisha)

A fact-finding team of the University Grants Commission (UGC) arrived in Balasore to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of a 20-year-old student of Fakir Mohan Autonomous College, who had allegedly faced prolonged sexual harassment by the Head of Department (HoD).

The victim had attempted self-immolation on July 12 on the college campus, sustaining over 90 per cent burn injuries, and succumbed to her injuries at AIIMS Bhubaneswar on July 14.

Speaking to the media on Friday, team member Professor Sushma Yadav said, "We have reached today and we have begun (investigation) today. We have seen the documents and spoken with the officers concerned. We also spoke with students. We will continue tomorrow. We are a fact-finding team, so we will see the complete facts. We will try to find out things from more and more people so that such accidents do not happen again."

The senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Pratap Jena criticised the state government's response to the incident and said, "Crimes against women are increasing every day in Odisha. We demand a judicial inquiry into this case. Instead of a judicial inquiry, they got a crime branch inquiry headed by one DSP. We criticise this."

Reacting to the same incident, BJD Vice President Debi Prasad Mishra said that the party observed a silent protest across the state, as "Silence is more powerful".

"BJD today organised a silent protest because silence is more powerful. This case has given a bad name to the state of Odisha. Our student and youth wing has also taken to the streets in protest. We reiterate our view that a judicial enquiry should be initiated in this case. We will continue this movement till the demand of the people of Odisha is fulfilled," Mishra told ANI.

Meanwhile, Odisha Congress President Bhakta Charan Das demanded an answer from Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi as to why an FIR was not registered in this case.

"That girl went to seek help from a state Minister too, but he didn't help her. If he had helped her register an FIR, she would be here today. You can misuse the law to put children in jail, and you cannot ask the police to file an FIR to save one of your own students. Can Mohan Majhi answer why an FIR was not registered in this case? Do the Education Minister, MPs, or ICC (Internal Complaints Committee) have the audacity to tell why an FIR was not filed?" Das said.

Odisha Police on Thursday detained several opposition leaders and workers, including the State Congress in-charge Ajay Kumar Lallu, during the Odisha Bandh.

Odisha Congress in-charge Ajay Kumar Lallu accused the state government of trying to deny justice to the college student. Alleging that the government was using force to suppress protests, he stated that Congress would not be intimidated.

"The State government does not want to give justice to the victim and has resorted to hooliganism....We will not be intimidated and will continue to raise our voice against the state government. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Odisha CM will have to resign," the Congress leader said.

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Congress workers also blocked railway tracks in Balasore as part of the protest against the State government.