Balasore self-immolation case: Student's body cremated, villagers demand action against culprits

Bhubaneswar/ Balasore: The body of the college student who set herself ablaze following alleged sexual harassment by a professor was consigned to flames at a crematorium in her village in Odisha's Balasore district on Tuesday.

The 20-year-old woman's cousin brother lit the funeral pyre at the village crematorium in the presence of thousands of people including BJP Balasore MP Pratap Sarangi, and senior officers of the district administration.

The local people bid a tearful adieu to the brave woman who lost fighting for justice and not giving up the alleged demand of the teacher of the college.

Thousands of people thronged the crematorium ground to attend her cremation.

"My daughter has taught me to fight and I will continue it. I do not need the money or ex-gratia. I want my daughter back. Can the government give me back my child," the woman's father said with tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Please forgive me. I am speechless," the mother of the student said while asked about her demands.

The student died at the AIIMS Bhubaneswar on Monday night after battling for life for about 60 hours. Her body was sent to the village after postmortem examination at the hospital, officials said.

Local people demanded stringent action against the culprits responsible for the death of the student.

A local villager said the deceased student was active during natural calamities, particularly floods. "She used to help the administration to shift women to safe places during floods," said a villager of Basta area which is a flood-prone block in Balasore district.

"We do not believe that she will commit suicide. She was mentally strong and brilliant student. She was my student. She was forced to commit suicide by setting herself on fire for being denied justice," said a teacher at the crematorium ground.

The deceased student's grandfather said that the government "failed" to give her justice for which she ended her life. She had approached all from MLA to Union minister, said another villager.

The 20-year-old second-year B.Ed student of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College, Balasore had accused the Head of Education Department, Samira Kumar Sahu of sexually harassing her.

She set herself on fire on Saturday on the college campus over alleged inaction against the professor and suffered 95 per cent burns.

The woman was first admitted to the Balasore district hospital and then shifted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar for advanced treatment.