Odisha: College student immolates self after ex-boyfriend threatens to upload intimate pics

Kendrapara: A female college student died after she allegedly immolated herself at her house in Odisha's Kendrapara district on Wednesday following her former boyfriend's threat to upload her intimate photographs on social media, police said.

The woman's father claimed that his daughter took the extreme step after police refused to accept their FIR around six months ago, and instead asked them to block the ex-boyfriend's phone number. Kendrapara Superintendent of Police Siddharth Kataria said he will personally probe the allegation.

This was the third incident of a woman dying of burn injuries in Odisha since July 12.

The fresh incident took place in Kathiapada village in Pattamundai (Rural) police station area on Wednesday morning.

The father of the 19-year-old woman claimed she poured kerosene over herself and set herself ablaze when she was alone in their house.

Her father said they opened the door of their house to find their daughter's charred body lying on the staircase.

She was an undergraduate student at Mohanpur College located near her village.

Her former boyfriend was blackmailing her, the woman's father alleged.

"I had gone to Pattamundai (Rural) police station around six months ago to file a complaint over her former boyfriend's threat to upload her intimate photographs on social media. I had given a copy of the complaint to one police officer named Sailendra Palei. However, he discouraged me against it, stating it was better not to file a complaint and suggested that we block the phone number of the ex-boyfriend," her father alleged.

"Had prompt action been taken, my daughter would not have died by suicide," he claimed.

Sailendra Palei, however, denied the allegation.

"I did not receive any FIR, and the woman's father had never come to our police station. I never suggested anyone block any phone number," he claimed.

SP Kataria, who reached the spot, told reporters, "The woman's father claimed that she died by suicide. The matter will be investigated. I will also personally inquire into the father's allegation against Palei."

When asked about the copy of the complaint, the woman's father, however, claimed he had torn it when the police refused to accept his complaint.

This was the third incident of women dying due to burn injuries in Odisha since July 12.

A 20-year-old female student of FM College in Balasore immolated herself on the college campus on July 12, and died two days later while undergoing treatment at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar.

Another 15-year-old girl from Balanga area of Puri district also died from burn injuries on August 2. Her mother claimed she was set on fire by three unidentified persons, but police claimed no other person was involved in the incident.

Meanwhile, opposition parties in the state came down heavily on the BJP government headed by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who also holds the Home portfolio, over the latest incident.

Addressing a press conference, BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said, "It is not acceptable that the police would not accept the FIR of the victim. We urge the chief minister to hand over the Home portfolio to some other minister, as he is unable to handle it. Though the CM had earlier asked police to register zero FIR, the police stations are not adhering to the order."

The BJD leader said that the police officer concerned would not have dared to refuse the FIR had action been taken against "erring officers" in the Balasore and Balanga cases.

Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das formed an eight-member women fact-finding team to inquire into the Kendrapara incident.

The panel, headed by PCC vice-president Sasmita Behera, would visit the victim's village and the police station on Thursday, the Congress said in a statement.