The tragic death of a 20-year-old student at Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore, Odisha, has sparked widespread outrage and led to multiple investigations into the circumstances surrounding her self-immolation. The student, who has been identified as Soumyashree Bisi, died on July 14, 2025, after setting herself on fire on July 12, 2025, alleging sexual harassment by a professor and inaction on her complaint.

According to reports, Bisi had confided in the college's ex-principal about the harassment she was facing approximately six months prior to her death. The identity of the ex-principal and the details of this communication have not been widely publicized, but this revelation underscores the prolonged nature of the student's ordeal and the potential failures in the college's response.

The timeline of events leading up to Bisi's death indicates a series of systemic failures. Bisi, a second-year B.Ed student, alleged that she had been subjected to mental and sexual harassment by Samir Kumar Sahu, the Head of the Department. She claimed that Sahu had been asking her for "favors" and had threatened to ruin her academic career if she did not comply. On July 1, 2025, she filed a formal complaint with the college's Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) and also filed a police complaint.

However, Bisi felt that her complaints were not taken seriously. The ICC initiated an investigation on July 3, 2025, and submitted a report stating that while Sahu was found to be harassing students in other ways, there was "no evidence" of sexual harassment. The report mentioned Sahu's strict actions, such as making students stand for minor mistakes, but did not substantiate the sexual harassment allegations.

Adding to her distress, Bisi was debarred from appearing for a semester examination on June 29, 2025, by Sahu due to insufficient attendance. This denial of examination, coupled with the perceived inaction on her harassment complaint, may have further contributed to her despair.

Minutes before Bisi set herself ablaze, she was allegedly summoned to the principal's office, where she was pressured to withdraw her complaint and apologize to Sahu. According to a police complaint filed by her family, the principal, Dillip Kumar Ghosh, warned her that she "won't be able to show your face to anyone" and that she would be "forced to end your life" if she did not withdraw the complaint.

The FIR filed by Bisi's family alleges that the principal and the Head of Department (HOD) shamed and threatened the student minutes before her death. The complaint states that she was called into the principal's office, manipulated to withdraw her complaint, and forced to apologize to her alleged harasser.

Following the incident, Bisi was rushed to Balasore District Headquarters Hospital and later shifted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar with 95% burns. Despite receiving intensive care, she succumbed to her injuries on July 14, 2025.

The Odisha government has placed the college principal and the assistant professor under suspension. Police have arrested assistant professor Samir Kumar Sahu. The college principal, Dillip Kumar Ghosh, was also arrested and sent to 14-day judicial custody.