BJD announces candlelight rally & Lok Seva Bhawan gherao over student’s death

Bhubaneswar, July 16: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Tuesday announced a candlelight rally to be held this evening and a protest gherao of Lok Seva Bhawan on July 16 (Wednesday), demanding justice for the  20-year-old B.Ed student from Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College in Balasore, who succumbed to severe burn injuries after allegedly attempting self-immolation on campus.

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The incident has sparked widespread outrage across Odisha. BJD senior leader Debi Prasad Mishra stated that the party is seeking a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge of the High Court to ensure transparency and accountability. The BJD also demanded the immediate resignation of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, holding them morally responsible for the tragedy.

The victim reportedly set herself on fire outside the principal’s chamber on July 12, following allegations of sexual harassment against the Head of the Education Department, Samir Kumar Sahu. She also alleged that her complaints were ignored by the college authorities, leaving her with no option but to take such an extreme step.

She sustained critical burn injuries, with nearly 90–95% of her body affected. After initial treatment at Balasore Medical College, she was transferred to AIIMS Bhubaneswar. Despite receiving advanced treatment in the Burns ICU, including mechanical ventilation and renal replacement therapy, victim succumbed to her injuries at 11:46 PM on July 14.

In a parallel protest, members of the Odisha Pradesh Youth Congress gathered at Ram Mandir Square in Bhubaneswar earlier today. The protestors burnt effigies of the Chief Minister and Higher Education Minister, accusing them of gross negligence and inaction in response to victim’s earlier complaints.

As public anger mounts, political pressure on the state government is intensifying, with calls for immediate action against those responsible and stronger safeguards for students on campus.