"95% Body Damaged": Father Of Odisha Student "Can't Recognise Daughter"

The father of the 22-year-old student who set herself on fire in front of her college in Odisha's Balasore district has said his daughter is in a critical condition and has suffered burns so severe that he is unable to recognise her.

"She is on life support. The doctor told me that 95 per cent of her body is damaged," the father told NDTV at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Bhubaneswar, where his daughter is being treated. "I went to see her today. I cannot recognise my daughter."

His daughter, a student of the integrated Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) programme at Fakir Mohan Autonomous College, attempted self-immolation in protest over inaction on her complaint of sexual harassment against her head of department. The accused, Samir Kumar Sahu, is under arrest.

The student had filed a complaint on July 1 with the college's Internal Complaints Committee, accusing Sahu of soliciting sexual favours and threatening to sabotage her academic record when she refused. Her family claims she was subsequently subjected to pressure from within the college administration to withdraw the complaint.

"Everyone knows who is responsible," her father said. "The principal, the HOD, the education department, and the internal committee members - all of them tortured my daughter. They told me later that unless we withdraw the complaint, an FIR would be lodged against me," the father claimed.

A day after the attempted immolation, the victim's brother told NDTV that she had informed him she was going to try again to secure a statement from the college principal, hoping to use it to approach police. He last spoke to her around 11 am on the day of the incident. By 1 pm, the family was notified she had set herself on fire.

A video from the scene shows the student engulfed in flames, running through a college corridor. A man initially tries to assist but pulls away after his shirt catches fire. Another student, who attempted to douse the flames, also suffered 70 per cent burn injuries. Both are now being treated at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, where the girl remains in a critical state.

Following outrage, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi visited the hospital on Sunday. 

"A dedicated medical team is treating her. AIIMS Bhubaneswar is coordinating with AIIMS Delhi for advanced consultation. If required, she will be shifted to Delhi or any other top medical facility," he said. 

(With inputs from Dev Kumar Ghosh)