Bhubaneswar: The mortal remains of 20-year-old, Soumyashree Bisi, were consigned to flames at her native village Palasia under Bhograi block in Odisha’s Balasore on Tuesday.
The second-year Integrated BEd student of FM (Autonomous), who had sustained 90-95% burn after attempting self-immolation during a protest against alleged sexual harassment by a senior faculty member on Saturday afternoon, was declared dead at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, late on Monday. “Despite adequate resuscitation and all possible supportive management, including renal replacement therapy at Burns ICU, she could not be revived and was declared clinically dead at 11.46pm,” the hospital said in its medical update.
The body was handed over to family after postmortem late in the night, which was then carried in a Mahaparayan vehicle to her native place with police escorts amid the outrage over the incident. Tensions had again flared outside AIIMS-Bhubaneswar early this morning as Congress and BJD workers staged a demonstration, questioning the late night postmortem of the victim. They were later detained by police.
A pall of gloom descended over the village as relatives and friends gathered to bid her farewell this morning. Balasore MP Pratap Sarangi and district officials also walked to the crematorium ground from the house of the student. The body was cremated in the presence of her family and other villagers.
Odisha Bandh On July 17
Meanwhile, Congress has called for Odisha Bandh on July 17, in protest against the self-immolation death of the student, who was pushed to take the extreme step following alleged harassment by the head of department (HoD) of the BEd programme, Sameer Kumar Sahu.
Addressing a presser, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das said that the bandh is being supported by eight parties, including Left parties and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
He said that Soumyashree was a victim of harassment and those around her did nothing to stop her from taking the extreme step despite knowing about her mental distress. “She brought petrol, and everyone watched silently. No one acted,” Das said.
He slammed the state government for failing to act on her harassment complaints and accused authorities of negligence. “The ruling party ignored the incident though the victim belonged to the ABVP. This is nothing less than murder. The BJP government has lost the moral rights to continue in power,” he added.
Das appealed to transport associations, business house and educational institution to support the bandh, which he said was essential to awaken the government from its slumber.
The student wing of the Congress has demanded resignation of Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj.
The announcement of the Odisha bandh coincided with party MP Rahul Gandhi describing her death as a ‘organised murder by the system’. He said that those who were supposed to protect her kept “breaking her”.
“The death of a daughter fighting for justice in Odisha is nothing less than a murder by the BJP’s system. That brave student raised her voice against sexual harassment – but instead of delivering justice, she was threatened, tormented, and repeatedly humiliated. As always, the BJP’s system continued to shield the accused – and forced an innocent daughter to set herself on fire,” he posted on X.
“Modi ji, whether in Odisha or Manipur – the daughters of the nation are burning, breaking, and dying. And you? You remain silent. The country doesn’t need your silence; it needs answers. India’s daughters need safety and justice,” he added.
The Fight For Justice
Soumyashree lodged the complaint against the assistant professor with the internal complaint committee (ICC) on June 30 and met principal Dilip Ghosh again on the fateful day, alleging inaction and injustice by the college authorities.
Within hours after she set herself ablaze, the Higher Education Department suspended the accused HOD and college principal Dillip Kumar Ghosh. Sahadevkhunta Police arrested Sahu on July 12 under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which, among others, covers the charges of abetment to suicide and sexual harassment. Ghosh was also arrested on July 14 on charges of negligence and sent to judicial custody after being produced at the SDJM court.
A three-member inquiry committee headed by Director of Higher Education Kali Prasanna Mohapatra, has been investigating the circumstances that resulted in the tragedy. The National Commission for Women (NCW) has also demanded a time-bound and fair probe into the matter. It has directed the Balasore SP to submit a report within 15 days.
