The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken serious cognisance of the self-immolation attempt by a 20-year-old student of Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore, Odisha, allegedly following sexual harassment and academic threats by a senior faculty member.
In an official statement, NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar expressed deep concern over the incident and directed the Director General of Police (DGP), Odisha, to ensure a fair, transparent, and time-bound investigation into the matter. The Commission has also demanded strict action against the accused and called for immediate steps to be taken to provide the student with comprehensive medical and psychological support free of cost.
The NCW has further instructed the Odisha Police to submit an Action Taken Report (ATR) within three days, underscoring the urgency and sensitivity of the case.
The intervention by the national women’s rights body comes amid growing public outrage and state-wide protests over the incident, which has raised critical concerns about the safety of students in higher educational institutions and institutional response to harassment complaints.
The state government has already suspended the accused Head of Department and the college principal, and a high-level probe has been initiated. The victim, currently admitted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar, remains on ventilator support with over 90% burn injuries.
