Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi is set to visit AIIMS Bhubaneswar to review the treatment being provided to the critically injured student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College, Balasore, who attempted self-immolation on Saturday.
Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling confirmed that the Chief Minister will meet the medical team overseeing the student’s care and also interact with her family during the visit. The case has triggered widespread public outrage and drawn attention to the institutional circumstances leading up to the incident.
Currently on ventilator support in the Intensive Care Unit, the student has suffered 90–95% burn injuries, with critical damage to internal organs including kidneys and lungs. AIIMS Bhubaneswar Director Dr. Ashutosh Biswas has said the next 24–48 hours are crucial. Given the extent of injuries, any plans for airlifting have been ruled out.
In response to the severity of the case, AIIMS has constituted a special eight-member expert committee comprising senior doctors from multiple specialties such as critical care, surgery, nephrology, pulmonology, and anaesthesiology. The panel will oversee 24×7 monitoring and coordination for treatment.
Meanwhile, state ministers including Health Minister Mahaling, Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, and MLA Babu Singh visited the hospital earlier in the day and assured the patient’s family of full government support.
Alongside the medical measures, the Odisha government has initiated a high-level probe into the events leading to the incident. A three-member inquiry panel from the Higher Education Department is investigating institutional conduct, response mechanisms, and possible administrative lapses.
As part of the ongoing probe, the college’s principal and the head of the department concerned have been suspended. The latter has also been arrested and remains in police custody following allegations of sustained mental harassment and intimidation within the institution.
