Balasore self-immolation case: BJD's Amar Patnaik calls for "strict" action against concerned Ministers, local leaders

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], July 15 (ANI): Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Amar Patnaik on Tuesday called on the BJP-led state government to take "strictest" action against the concernned minister and the local political leaders over the death of the girl student who had immolated herself in Odisha's Balasore.
Patnaik also asked the government to probe the role of Balasore's collector and Superintendent of police (SP).
"... We are all deeply distressed and anguished. The student community in Odisha are completely shocked at this negligence and callousness. A government that refused to listen to a student begging for justice and mercy from sexual harassment by her teacher... She had approached the local MLA, local administration, MP, and the concerned minister, and finally she tweeted, tagging the CM and the education minister," Patnaik said.
"Nobody listened to her plea for help... Heads must roll. The BJP must take action against the concerned ministers, the MP and the local political leaders whom she had gone to plead with. She belonged to ABVP. If a member of ABVP cannot be protected in a government led by the BJP, what can be more shocking? ... I wish the government would take the strictest action. The local district collector and SPs' roles must be probed. The internal complaints committee report was a sham. Their role must be investigated. A judicial inquiry and a crime branch inquiry must be initiated... If the CM has an iota of sympathy for the family of the girl, he must ask for the resignation of the education minister," he added.
Further, expressing concern over the educational system in the state, the BJD leader said, "The BJD has already protested... The Biju Chhatra Janata Dal and Yuva Janta Dal expressed it on the roads of Bhubaneswar. A time has come when it has to go to every campus. Educational system in our state cannot be denigrated to this extent."
On Monday, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhubaneswar confirmed the death of the 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Odisha's Balasore, who had attempted self-immolation.
The Department of Burn Centre, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, said in a statement that the patient was brought to the casualty on July 12 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 and IV antibiotics, intubated and put on mechanical ventilation. Despite adequate resuscitation and all possible supportive management, including renal replacement therapy at the Burns ICU, she could not be revived and was declared clinically dead at 11:46 PM on July 14," the statement said.
The 20-year-old student set herself on fire after allegedly facing prolonged sexual harassment by her college's Head of Department. Despite lodging a formal complaint and seeking help from the principal, her pleas were ignored, leading to the tragic incident. The incident occurred at Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College. (ANI)