A 20-year-old B.Ed student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore, Odisha, is fighting for her life at AIIMS Bhubaneswar with 95% burn injuries after setting herself ablaze on July 12, 2025, in protest against alleged inaction on her sexual harassment complaint. The second-year student, identified as Soumyashree Bisi, accused the Head of the Education Department, Samir Kumar Sahu, of persistent sexual and mental harassment, including threats to derail her academic future. Despite lodging complaints with the college’s internal committee on June 30 and police on July 1, no action was taken, fueling her desperation.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, visiting AIIMS on July 13 after returning from Delhi, assured the “best possible treatment” for Bisi, who remains on ventilator support in critical condition. Dr. Ashutosh Biswas, AIIMS Bhubaneswar’s executive director, reported severe damage to her kidneys and lungs, with the next 48 hours critical. An eight-member expert medical team, including specialists in critical care and nephrology, is overseeing her treatment, with airlifting considered if her condition stabilizes.

The incident has triggered widespread outrage. The Odisha government suspended college principal Dillip Ghose and Sahu, who was arrested and sent to judicial custody. A high-level committee, led by Higher Education Director Kali Prasanna Mohapatra, is probing the harassment allegations, the college’s response, and the circumstances of the self-immolation. The National Commission for Women demanded a fair investigation, seeking a report within three days.

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Opposition parties BJD and Congress staged protests near Majhi’s residence, demanding his and Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj’s resignation. BJD chief Naveen Patnaik called the incident “deeply distressing,” urging the governor’s intervention. The state government, covering Bisi’s treatment costs, vowed stringent measures to prevent future incidents, with Majhi promising institutional reforms.

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