Odisha Girl’s Self-Immolation Bid: Suspended Principal Arrested Amid Statewide Outcry

Bhubaneswar: The suspended principal of Fakir Mohan (FM) Autonomous College, Dilip Ghosh, was arrested on Sunday by Sahadevkhunta police in connection with the attempted self-immolation of a girl student, allegedly driven by harassment from a senior faculty member.

The arrest came after three days of intense protests and mounting pressure from the victim’s family, who had earlier levelled serious allegations of ‘mental harassment’ against Ghosh. This follows the earlier arrest of Sameer Kumar Sahoo, head of the college’s education department, against whom the girl had made direct accusations of sexual harassment.

The twin arrests have sent shockwaves through Odisha’s academic circles, sparking widespread outrage and fresh debates over campus safety and accountability in educational institutions.

Authorities have assured an impartial and transparent investigation, even as student bodies and rights groups continue to demand strict punitive action against those responsible and systemic reforms to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Meanwhile, the condition of the 20-year-old victim from Balasore remains critical at AIIMS Bhubaneswar. According to medical authorities, she is undergoing dialysis as her kidney function has deteriorated severely. AIIMS officials said the dialysis is being conducted under the supervision of experts from AIIMS Delhi through video conferencing.

Hospital sources added that her potassium levels had fallen dangerously, necessitating the administration of essential vitamins and micronutrients.

“We are keeping a close watch on her blood sugar levels. Her internal organs have sustained significant damage. A dedicated medical team is providing her with the best possible treatment,” an AIIMS doctor said.

According to students and campus sources, the victim had long accused education department head Sameer Ranjan Sahoo of persistently seeking inappropriate favours and threatening to jeopardise her academic future.

“She had shared her ordeal with us multiple times. The HOD would harass her relentlessly and threaten to destroy her career,” alleged a student witness.

Though the college administration had reportedly set up an internal inquiry committee after complaints surfaced, students claimed it was a sham process intended to shield the accused.

“The committee was packed with faculty members, some of them close to the accused, and deliberately excluded student representatives. It was clearly meant to cover up the truth,” alleged another protesting student.

On July 12, while students were staging a sit-in inside the campus demanding action, the victim allegedly moved away from the gathering and set herself ablaze. Several students sustained minor injuries while trying to save her.