Did President Murmu Visit the Family of a Self-Immolated Student at AIIMS Bhubaneswar?

Bhubaneswar, July 14 (NationPress) On Monday, President Droupadi Murmu visited the family of Soumyashree Bisi, a female student receiving treatment at the burn unit of AIIMS here after her attempt to self-immolate on Saturday. This tragic event stemmed from alleged sexual abuse by Samir Kumar Sahu, the Head of Department (HoD) for the education department at Fakir Mohan College in Balasore.

During her visit to AIIMS, President Murmu inquired about the health status of the injured student while engaging with the medical staff. She was accompanied by Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Arriving in Bhubaneswar for a two-day visit, the President also attended the convocation ceremony at AIIMS before proceeding to meet the victim's family.

In related developments, Governor Kambhampati spoke with Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj about the distressing situation involving the student from FM (Autonomous) College, Balasore, who is currently receiving care at AIIMS Bhubaneswar.

He stated, “I sought insights into the circumstances surrounding the incident and the measures being implemented to address it. The Minister assured that the situation is being treated with the utmost seriousness and that necessary steps are underway to ensure support and accountability.”

Kambhampati also updated his followers via his X account about discussions with the AIIMS director regarding the victim's recovery. “I pray to Lord Jagannath for her swift recovery and inner strength and sincerely hope she regains her health soon. It is vital to protect the safety, mental well-being, and dignity of students at all times. I have urged authorities to act with urgency, empathy, and responsibility to prevent such incidents in the future,” he added.

Notably, local police arrested the Principal of FM College, Dillip Kumar Ghose, on Monday, who had been suspended for failing to adequately address the issue on Saturday.

It is crucial to highlight that Soumyashree, a B.Ed student, set herself on fire after dousing herself with petrol in front of the principal’s office on Saturday due to alleged sexual harassment by HoD Samir Kumar Sahu. She suffered over 90% burn injuries and was initially taken to Balasore Medical College before being transferred to AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, for advanced treatment.

Before her tragic act, Soumyashree had staged a sit-in protest near the college demanding action against HoD Sahu for his alleged misconduct. She was understandably distressed because no action had been taken against him despite her formal complaint.

Sahu was quickly detained by Sahadevkhunta Police after charges were filed against him under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including 108 (abetment of suicide) and 75(1)(iii) (sexual harassment).