Daijiworld Media Network - Balasore

Balasore, Jul 15: The body of the 20-year-old BEd student from Odisha’s Balasore, who set herself ablaze in protest against alleged sexual harassment by a college professor, was cremated on Tuesday in her native village amid an outpouring of grief and anger.

The young woman, a second-year student at Fakir Mohan College, had accused the Head of the Education Department, Samira Kumar Sahu, of sexual harassment. She set herself on fire on Saturday on the college campus after alleged administrative inaction. Despite being rushed to Balasore District Hospital and later shifted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar, she succumbed to her injuries on Monday night, having suffered 95% burns.

Following the postmortem at AIIMS, her body was brought to her village where thousands gathered to pay their last respects. Balasore MP Pratap Sarangi, district officials, teachers, and local residents joined the funeral procession, walking from her home to the cremation ground.

“She was not someone who would end her life without reason. She was mentally strong and always stood up to help others during floods,” said a local villager, highlighting her social service during natural disasters in the flood-prone Basta block.

A teacher present at the crematorium expressed deep anguish: “She was my student. Brilliant and strong. She was forced to end her life because justice was denied.”

The student’s grandfather and other villagers lashed out at authorities, alleging systemic failure. “She went to everyone—from the MLA to Union ministers—but no one listened,” a villager said.

Locals have now demanded strict action against the accused and called for reforms to ensure such tragedies are never repeated. The case has sparked widespread outrage across Odisha, intensifying pressure on the administration to deliver justice.