‘Malicious Campaign Against My Sister’: Balasore Victim’s Brother Files FIR

Last Updated:July 17, 2025, 00:45 is

The college student’s brother has alleged that there are misleading and defamatory campaigns being run about his sister’s death on social media

The brother of the 20-year-old college student, who set herself ablaze over inaction in a sexual harassment case in Odisha’s Balasore district, has alleged that there are misleading and defamatory campaigns being run about his sister’s death on social media.

Based on this, the woman’s brother lodged a police complaint at Bhogarai police station late on Wednesday. He named at least five persons in the complaint accusing them of maligning the family’s reputation for political gains.

The family of the woman, who succumbed to 95 percent burn injuries early on Tuesday (July 15), has demanded strict action and police protection. They have warned that if they do not get justice, they will be forced to take extreme steps, including death by suicide.

Earlier in the day, the crime branch took over the probe into the woman’s death by suicide at Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College in Balasore. On July 12, the second-year BEd student had set herself on fire outside the principal’s office during a protest on campus over allegedly being denied justice over sexual harassment by her head of department (HoD).

Director General of Police, CID-CB, Vinaytosh Mishra, in an order deputed DSP Iman Kalyan Nayak of Crime Against Women and Children Wing (CAW&CW), Bhubaneswar, to take up the probe and such other cases registered in that connection.

“DSP, Iman Kalyan Nayak of CAW &CW, Bhubaneswar will have the powers to function as Officer-in-Charge of Balasore district Sahadevkhunta Police Station for the purpose of investigation of this case,” Mishra said, adding that Inspector Panchali Rout will assist Nayak.

The police have already arrested prime accused Samira Kumar Sahoo, the HoD accused of sexual harassment by the student, and Dillip Ghose, the former principal of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College. They were booked under sections 108/3 (5) (abetment), 351 (2) (criminal intimidation), 75 (1) (iii), which deals with sexual harassment and sections 78 and 79 that deal with stalking and insulting the modesty of a woman. Section 108/3(5) of BNS deals with abetment of suicide under which a person can get a maximum of 10 years imprisonment.

The self-immolation incident has triggered statewide outrage with the opposition parties staging protests and demanding the resignation of the chief minister as well as state higher education minister.

The UGC has formed a four-member fact-finding committee to look into the death by suicide case, while Odisha governor Hari Babu Kambhampati has also sought a report from the state government on the circumstances under which the student resorted to self-immolation and steps taken to address the situation.

WHAT IS THE ODISHA GOVT SAYING?

After a meeting of ministers on Tuesday, revenue and disaster management minister Suresh Pujari said the state government will expand the ambit of the investigation and all persons, who are directly or indirectly linked to the harassment of the college student, will come under the purview of investigation.

“Though two persons have so far been arrested in the case, there are about 20 people found directly or indirectly harassing the woman student. All will come under the purview of the probe,” Pujari said.

Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said the government will ensure a free and fair investigation into the woman student’s death case, and certain attempts to divert the probe will not be accepted. He came down heavily on the opposition BJD and Congress, accusing them of using the sensitive case for their political gains.

“We have promptly taken action, and two persons have been arrested immediately. Chief Minister himself visited the victim at the hospital and announced stringent action against the culprits,” he said.

(With PTI inputs)

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Bhubaneswar, India, India

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