On July 17, 2025, Odisha was brought to a standstill as eight opposition parties, led by the Indian National Congress, enforced a 12-hour statewide bandh to protest the tragic death of a 20-year-old B.Ed student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore. The student, who died on July 14, 2025, after setting herself on fire on campus, had alleged prolonged sexual harassment by the Head of Department (HoD) and inaction by college authorities, despite her repeated pleas for help. The bandh, which ran from 6 AM to 6 PM, disrupted normal life across the state, with highways blocked, railway tracks occupied, and shops shuttered, as protesters demanded justice, accountability, and systemic reforms to ensure women’s safety. This article explores the events leading to the bandh, its impact, the public and political response, and the broader implications for Odisha’s education system and governance.
Background of the Tragedy
The catalyst for the bandh was the death of a second-year B.Ed student who set herself ablaze on July 12, 2025, in front of the principal’s office at Fakir Mohan Autonomous College. The student had reportedly faced sustained sexual harassment from the HoD, Samira Kumar Sahu, and claimed her complaints to the college principal, Dilip Ghose, and other authorities, including local MLAs, MPs, the District Collector, and the Chief Minister’s office, went unaddressed. After enduring months of alleged harassment and institutional neglect, she resorted to self-immolation, sustaining 90% burns. She was initially treated at Balasore District Hospital before being transferred to AIIMS Bhubaneswar, where she succumbed to her injuries on Monday night. The arrests of Sahu and Ghose followed, but public outrage had already ignited, fueled by perceptions of systemic failure.
The Bandh: Scope and Execution
The Odisha bandh, called by the Congress and supported by the Communist Party of India (CPI), CPI(M), CPI(ML), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Samajwadi Party (SP), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and All India Forward Bloc, aimed to hold the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government accountable for its alleged inaction. The shutdown began at 6 AM, bringing life to a virtual halt in major cities like Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Balasore, Sambalpur, and Rourkela. Protesters blocked key highways, including the Chennai-Kolkata National Highway (NH-16), causing significant traffic congestion with trucks and other vehicles stranded, particularly in Bhadrak and Mayurbhanj.
Rail services were heavily disrupted, with over 20 trains halted or delayed as opposition workers staged “rail roko” protests, occupying tracks at stations like Bhubaneswar, Puri, Bhadrak, and Khurda Road. At Bhubaneswar Railway Station, passengers faced long delays with little information, while in Puri, security forces intervened to remove protesters from the tracks. Markets, schools, colleges, and commercial establishments remained closed, and public transport, including buses and auto-rickshaws, was largely suspended. The Odisha Petroleum Dealers’ Association shut down fuel stations statewide as a precautionary measure, further compounding disruptions. However, essential services such as hospitals, ambulances, and pharmacies were exempted.
Public and Political Reactions
The bandh saw widespread participation, with Congress leaders like Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das and All India Mahila Congress president Alka Lamba leading protests in Bhubaneswar. Demonstrators burned tires, picketed major junctions, and raised slogans against the BJP government, accusing it of failing to protect women. Das described the bandh as a “people’s movement,” stating, “The bandh is not about politics but about standing with the daughters. This movement is people-driven and will only grow stronger.” CPI(M) leader Suresh Panigrahi called the student’s death an “institutional murder,” emphasizing that she had sought help from multiple authorities to no avail.
The opposition demanded the resignation of State Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, a judicial probe into the incident, and enhanced safety measures for women in educational institutions. Some leaders, including Congress Legislature Party leader Rama Chandra Kadam, alleged that 15 women and girls are raped daily in Odisha under the BJP government, though this claim lacks specific corroboration. Public sentiment, as reflected in posts on X, showed a mix of anger and support for the bandh, with some users like passenger Ayush expressing frustration over transport disruptions but endorsing the protest, stating, “If the administration does not work, protest is the only option.”
The Biju Janata Dal (BJD), though not part of the bandh coalition, had earlier organized a separate Balasore bandh on July 16, which faced resistance from local traders concerned about economic losses. BJD leader and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik criticized the state government’s handling of the case, while BJD’s Sulata Deo accused the BJP of turning the “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” slogan into “Beti Padhao, Beti Jalao.” The BJD’s protests outside AIIMS Bhubaneswar, where the student was treated, saw police using water cannons and detaining workers, escalating tensions.
Government and Institutional Response
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed sorrow over the student’s death, announcing an ex gratia payment of Rs 20 lakh for her family and promising strict punishment for those responsible. The state government deployed 200 police platoons and used AI-enabled cameras and drones to monitor the bandh, with the Home Department directing district collectors and superintendents of police to remain vigilant to prevent violence. No major untoward incidents were reported, though scuffles occurred near the Chief Minister’s residence, and some opposition leaders, including Das and Odisha Congress in-charge Ajay Kumar Lallu, were briefly detained.
In response to the tragedy, the School & Mass Education Department issued a directive on July 17 to District Education Officers, mandating strict adherence to the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. The directive emphasized the formation of Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) in all educational institutions and the creation of a safe, inclusive environment for female students, focusing on their physical, mental, and socio-emotional well-being.
Impact and Broader Implications
The bandh significantly disrupted daily life, stranding passengers, including a group of pilgrims from Gwalior on NH-16, and affecting coal and mineral transportation, though major industries like Nalco and Rourkela Steel Plant reported normal operations. The closure of schools, colleges, and government offices underscored the protest’s reach, while the deserted streets and shuttered markets highlighted public compliance, whether voluntary or enforced.
The incident has sparked a broader conversation about women’s safety in Odisha’s educational institutions and the accountability of authorities. The student’s desperate act, after allegedly being ignored by multiple layers of administration, has been framed by opposition leaders as a symptom of systemic neglect and institutional failure. The arrests of the HoD and principal are steps toward accountability, but the opposition’s call for a judicial probe suggests skepticism about the government’s willingness to address root causes.
The bandh also reflects growing public frustration, as evidenced by the large turnout at the student’s cremation in Balasore, attended by local MP Pratap Sarangi and district officials. The opposition’s framing of the bandh as a “people’s movement” indicates an attempt to channel this anger into sustained pressure on the BJP government, which has been in power in Odisha since June 2024. However, the economic impact on traders, as seen in their resistance to the BJD’s earlier bandh, highlights the tension between protest and livelihoods.
