Odisha Police Files Preliminary Chargesheet in Balasore Student Suicide Case
In a major update on the tragic self-immolation case of a female student at FM Autonomous College in Balasore, the Odisha Police Crime Branch submitted a detailed preliminary chargesheet to the court on Tuesday. This move comes as investigations continue into the shocking incident that highlighted allegations of mental harassment and demands for undue favors by college officials.
The chargesheet, spanning a whopping 504 pages, includes statements from 120 witnesses and key evidence gathered from digital devices and other sources. According to Odisha Police’s official statement, this filing follows Section 193(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. The team, led by DSP Iman Kalyani Nayak from the Crime Branch’s CAW & CW unit, kicked off the probe after the victim’s brother lodged a complaint.
What led to this heartbreaking event? The complaint pointed fingers at the college’s Head of Department (HoD) and Assistant Professor Samir Kumar Sahu for allegedly harassing the third-year B.Ed student mentally and pressuring her for favors. Devastated by the ordeal, the student set herself on fire on July 12. She suffered over 90% burn injuries and fought for her life at AIIMS Bhubaneswar but sadly passed away on July 14.
So far, the Crime Branch has arrested four people linked to the Balasore student suicide case. HoD Sahu was nabbed on July 12, the same day as the incident. College principal Dillip Ghose followed on July 14. Then, on August 3, police picked up two students, Subhra Sambit Nayak and Jyoti Prakash Biswal, for charges of criminal conspiracy and abetment to suicide.
The case sent shockwaves across Odisha, sparking outrage over rising atrocities against women in the state since the BJP took power. Opposition parties like Congress and Biju Janata Dal slammed the government and organized statewide protests, demanding swift justice for the victim and better protection for women students.
Investigators aren’t stopping here—the probe goes on to uncover more evidence and possible involvement of additional suspects. This development keeps the focus on women’s safety in Odisha colleges and the push for accountability in such harassment cases. Stay tuned for updates as the court proceedings unfold.
