NEW DELHI: Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday announced the death of the 20-year-old girl student from FM Autonomous College, Balasore, who had attempted self-immolation earlier this month after alleging sexual harassment by a faculty memberThe victim, a second-year BEd student at FM Autonomous College, was undergoing treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar after sustaining 90% burn injuries.In a post on X, CM Majhi wrote, “I am deeply saddened to hear the news of the demise of the female student from FM Autonomous College. Despite the government’s fulfillment of all responsibilities and the tireless efforts of the expert medical team, the victim’s life could not be saved.”He added, “I pray for the eternal peace of her departed soul and beseech Lord Jagannath to grant strength to her family to bear this irreparable loss. I assure the family of the deceased student that all those guilty in this case will face the strictest punishment as per the law. For this, I have personally issued instructions to the authorities. The government stands firmly with the family.”The student had set herself ablaze on July 12 outside the college gate during a peaceful protest that had been ongoing since July 1, demanding action against the head of the education department. She had earlier submitted multiple complaints accusing the faculty member of sexual harassment and threats to manipulate her academic scores. A male student who tried to save her also suffered burn injuries.The incident, caught on CCTV, triggered public outrage and led to the arrest of the accused assistant professor and the suspension, later arrest, of the college principal. The Odisha Higher Education Department cited failure to handle the matter properly in its suspension order for the principal, while the assistant professor was suspended based on “prima facie evidence.”Protests erupt outside AIIMS over student’s death As the mortal remains of the Balasore student were taken to the postmortem centre at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, members of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) staged a protest demanding justice.The agitators raised slogans and sought immediate action against all responsible. The girl was initially treated at Balasore hospital before being moved to AIIMS Bhubaneswar. Doctors had earlier confirmed her condition as critical. On Sunday, Dr Dillip Kumar Parida, Medical Superintendent of AIIMS Bhubaneswar, had said, “The patient is still critical… the team has consulted AIIMS Delhi.” The victim was on a mechanical ventilator with 95% burn injuries, her father had earlier said.
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