Odisha’s Crime Branch arrested two men in Balasore district on Sunday night for allegedly instigating a 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College to set herself on fire last month. The woman, whose identity remains undisclosed, died after her sexual harassment complaint was dismissed by the college’s internal enquiry committee, prompting her drastic action.

The arrested individuals, Jyoti Prakash Biswal, a fellow student who sustained burn injuries while attempting to save her, and Subhra Sambait Nayak, the state joint secretary of ABVP, the student organisation of BJP were detained from their residences. Biswal had recently been discharged from SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack after recovering from his injuries.

The arrests bring the total to four, following the earlier apprehension of assistant professor Samira Kumar Sahoo and former college principal Dillip Ghose in connection with the case.

Police are investigating the roles of the accused in the events leading to the student’s death, with a focus on the handling of her harassment allegations. The incident has sparked outrage, raising questions about campus safety and institutional accountability in addressing sexual harassment complaints.

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