E-Paper
BJD asks Odisha higher education minister to resign after Balasore student death
Allegations of government cover-up and police complicity have emerged, with protests planned until justice is served for the victim's family.
Following the death of a Balasore student, who set herself on fire, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Leader Ipsita Sahoo said that the Higher education minister Suryabanshi Suraj must resign.
"Why are BJP leaders allowed inside the hospital, but we (BJD) are not allowed even outside it. Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj must resign," said Sahoo, speaking to ANI on Tuesday.
In addition to this, another BJD leader, Elina Dash, on Tuesday accused the state government and police of covering up the incident, claiming the student had died earlier than officially declared.
Speaking to ANI, Dash said, "They officially declared at night that she is no more, but we knew she had died when she was 95% burnt. They staged the entire drama because the President was going to come. They had a plan to take the body discreetly during the night."
Adding further she said, "We are fighting for justice. We will not leave until she and her family get justice. We will not leave until she and her family get justice. The police are the partner in rime and are protecting them in everything. We will not let them take the body away till the Higher Education Minister and the Chief Minister resign. There will be protests in every district and village.
The Department of Burn Centre, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, said in a statement that the patient was brought to the casualty on Saturday and was referred from Balasore District Headquarters Hospital to AIIMS Bhubaneswar.
"She was admitted to the Burns Centre ICU. The patient was resuscitated with IV fluids, IV antibiotics, intubated and put on mechanical ventilation. Despite adequate resuscitation and all possible support management, including renal replacement therapy at the Burns ICU, she could not be revived and was declared clinically dead at 11:46 PM on Monday," the statement read.
The 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Odisha's Balasore district set herself on fire after allegedly facing prolonged sexual harassment by her college's Head of the Department. Despite lodging a formal complaint and seeking help from the principal, her pleas were ignored, leading to the tragic incident.
Discussing suicides can be triggering for some. However, suicides are preventable. A few major suicide prevention helpline numbers in India are 011-23389090 from Sumaitri (Delhi-based) and 044-24640050 from Sneha Foundation (Chennai-based).
