Odisha student self-immolation: Dharmendra visits AIIMS, says action will be more stringent against those responsible

Bhubaneswar, July 14: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday visited the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to enquire about health of girl student of Balasore's Fakir Mohan Autonomous College, who resorted to self-immolation over alleged sexual harassment by a lecturer and said that more stringent will definitely be taken against those responsible.

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“I met her family and met the doctors here. I enquired about her condition. Our priority is to save her life. The State Government has made it very clear from the beginning that no one will be spared. Some action has been taken and in the coming days, the action will definitely be more stringent,” Pradhan told media persons. 

Maintaining the State Government has formed a high-level committee to address the administrative and legal aspects of this matter, Pradhan said “I have also obtained information from the DG yesterday. The police are doing their job. No one will be spared.”

Meanwhile, the State Government has placed two lecturers including, Dillip Ghose, the Principal of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College, Balasore under suspension. The accused Assistant Professor identified as Samira Kumar Sahu has been suspended and arrested in this case. 

The victim girl, a second year student of Integrated BEd at Fakir Mohan College, is now battling for her life after suffering 90-95 per cent burns in her self-immolation bid on Saturday in front of the Principal’s chamber. 

Her ordeal of sexual and mental harassment at the hands of an Assistant Professor of the college Samira Kumar Sahoo a few months back. Unable bear the trauma, she knocked every possible door - from the College Principal to faculty members, Internal Complaints Committee and the Higher Education department - seeking help, till she took the drastic step.