Student's self-immolation: BJD asks why probe team head goes on leave after arrest of ABVP leaders

Bhubaneswar: Odisha's opposition BJD on Thursday questioned why the head of the team probing the female college student's self-immolation death went on leave after the arrest of two ABVP leaders.

The party also wondered why the responsibility of the investigation was given to an SP rank officer, while it was earlier being handled by an inspector general (IG) rank officer.

The IG of Odisha Police Crime Branch, S Shyni, who was heading the probe into the death of the Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College student in Balasore due to self-immolation since July 16, has gone on leave till August 15 for some "personal work".

Shyni, the chief of the Crime Against Women and Children Wing (CAWCW), went on leave from Tuesday, a day after the arrest of two ABVP leaders on the charge of abetment of suicide of the student, who set herself on fire on July 12 and succumbed to burn injuries on July 14 at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar.

Crime Branch SP Anirudha Routray has been asked to head the investigation in the absence of Shyni.

Following the arrest of the leaders of ABVP, the student wing of the RSS, its members staged a demonstration against Odisha’s BJP government.

Addressing a press conference here, BJD MLA Goutam Buddha Das and the party’s general secretary Lekhashree Samantasinghar alleged that Shyni was asked to go on leave as she ensured that accused persons, notwithstanding their party affiliation, were booked.

“We demand return of Shyni to the case as she has performed very well during the investigation. The state government has replaced an efficient IG-rank officer and handed over the case’s supervision to a junior officer (compared to the IG)," Das said The BJD condemned the removal of Shyni, a 2001 batch IPS officer, from the case.

“It is suspected that some more ABVP members and BJP leaders were involved in the case for which the IG has been replaced,” alleged Lekhashree Samantasinghar.

Meanwhile, Routray visited Balasore on the day.

“I have come to review the progress of the case, and I will submit a report to the DG, Crime Branch. I am focusing on the truth and looking into the matter from various angles,” the SP said.

The Crime Branch has sent some pieces of evidence to the laboratory and others will also be examined.

During the day, a CB team visited the college and questioned some security guards and enquired about the entry of any non-students or political persons to the campus on July 12 when the girl set herself on fire.

The 20-year-old female student had set herself on fire on the campus, protesting against alleged sexual harassment by a professor of the institute.

So far, four people - two Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) leaders, the accused professor and the principal of the college - have been arrested in the case.