BJD Launches Massive Protest Over Soumyashree’s Death; Security Tightened with Drone Surveillance

The student reportedly succumbed to injuries from a self-immolation incident after facing alleged sexual harassment by a faculty member—a case which, according to the BJD, was neglected by state authorities despite multiple complaints to local representatives and ministers.

Led by Opposition Leader Naveen Patnaik, the BJD intensified its demand for the resignation of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and the Higher Education Minister, citing a breakdown in governance and failure to ensure women’s safety.

To counter escalating tensions, the Commissionerate Police enforced aerial drone surveillance around the Odisha Assembly’s four peripheries and set up temporary encampments across key protest zones. Law enforcement issued warnings against public disorder and announced strict legal action for violations.

Speaking at Sankha Bhawan, senior leader Sanjay Kumar Das Burma denounced the incident as a “black day” in India’s history, urging a judicial inquiry led by a sitting judge into all individuals involved, including allegations of others who allegedly supplied petrol or recorded footage during the self-immolation.

The protest, broadcast live by multiple media houses using drone visuals, marks a crescendo in political friction between the BJD and the ruling BJP in Odisha, spotlighting civil outrage, student safety concerns, and deeper systemic failures.