An undergraduate female student from Odisha’s Sundergarh district is battling for her life after suffering nearly ninety per cent burn injuries in an alleged self-immolation attempt, according to the police. This incident marks the fifth such case reported in the state within the past six months, raising serious concerns about student safety and harassment.
Police have arrested a 25year old man accused of repeatedly harassing the student. The incident took place late Friday night in the Lanjiberna area while the victim’s family members were asleep. The second-year student was initially rushed to a nearby hospital and was later transferred to Ispat General Hospital in Rourkela, where doctors described her condition as highly critical.
Sundergarh Superintendent of Police Amritpal Kaur confirmed the arrest and stated that early investigations suggest the student had been subjected to persistent harassment.
The victim’s mother said her daughter had received a threatening phone call shortly before the incident. She added that the family awoke to the student’s cries and rushed her to medical care without delay.
The case comes at a time when Odisha has witnessed a troubling rise in similar incidents. On July 14th, a student from Balasore died from burn injuries at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, after an alleged self-immolation attempt linked to sexual harassment by her professor, resulting in the arrest of four individuals, including the professor and the college principal. Days later, on July 19th, a minor girl from Puri district, reportedly set herself ablaze and later died during treatment at AIIMS New Delhi, though the cause remains under investigation.
Another incident occurred on August 6th in Kendrapara district, where a 20 year old undergraduate student died following alleged blackmail by a male acquaintance, who has since been arrested. On August 11th, a 13th year old schoolgirl in Bargarh district, died after reportedly setting herself on fire near her maternal uncle’s home.
These recurring cases have intensified concerns regarding the safety and well-being of young women across the state, prompting demands for stronger preventive measures and more robust mechanisms to address harassment.
Discussion about this post