A 12-hour Odisha Bandh has been called on Thursday by eight opposition parties, led by the Congress, in response to the death of a 20-year-old B.Ed student from Fakir Mohan College in Balasore. The student, identified as Soumyashree, succumbed to severe burn injuries on July 14, days after she set herself on fire in protest against inaction on her sexual harassment committed by the head of department.
Soumyashree had filed a formal police complaint on July 1, accusing the Head of Department of sexual harassment. She had also taken to social media to tag state authorities, highlighting the lack of response to her case. Reports suggest that she faced mounting pressure from college officials to withdraw the complaint. Despite approaching multiple authorities, no meaningful action was taken.
On the eighth day of her protest, she attempted self-immolation and suffered 90% burns. She was undergoing treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar before passing away.
Odisha Bandh: Opposition Slams Government
The incident has sparked statewide outrage. Odisha Congress President Bhakta Charan Das said the bandh has been supported by several parties, largely from the Left. “She brought petrol, and everyone watched silently. No one acted. This exposes the complete failure of the state government,” he said.
Congress MLA Sofia Firdous slammed the state government for failing to ensure the student’s safety and for deflecting blame. Brinda Karat, senior CPI(M) leader and founding member of the All India Democratic Women’s Association, called it a case of “institutional murder,” stating that the tragedy was entirely avoidable.
Public transportation, schools, colleges, and most businesses remain shut during the bandh. Hospitals and emergency services are operational.
The case has drawn national attention to the systemic failure of institutions meant to protect women, including the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), police authorities, and state authorities. Soumyashree was reportedly affiliated with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). “Even the women from their own political ecosystem are not safe,” said Firdous.
