Police have arrested two men, including an ABVP leader, in connection with the self-immolation case of a 20-year-old college student in Balasore. The arrests were made on charges of abetment of suicide.
The victim, a student at Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College, set herself on fire on July 12 and died two days later from 95 per cent burn injuries. She had alleged that the college’s Head of Department (HoD) had sought sexual favours and that the college administration had failed to act on her complaint.
Those arrested have been identified as Subhra Sambait Nayak, the state joint secretary of ABVP, and Jyoti Prakash Biswal, a student of Fakir Mohdan (Autonomous) College, where victim studied, police officials said.
According to a police officer, Biswal was initially praised for trying to save the woman and suffered burn injuries in the process. However, the police investigation revealed that Biswal was aware of the woman’s plan and had filmed the incident on his mobile phone. The officer stated that this new evidence contradicted the initial belief that Biswal was a hero.
The two, arrested on Sunday night, have been booked under BNS section 108 (abetment of suicide) and 61(2) (a) (criminal conspiracy), police said.
“Initially, it was believed that Biswal attempted to save the burning woman. But, during the investigation, it came to the fore that he was aware of the woman’s plan and filmed the self-immolation attempt on his mobile phone. In the process, he sustained burn injuries,” the officer said.
Biswal and Nayak have been remanded to judicial custody for 14 days after being produced in a court.
Earlier, HoD Samira Kumar Sahoo, and the college’s principal Dillip Ghose were arrested on abetment of suicide charges. With the latest two arrests, the number of persons in custody is four now.
Following the arrests, opposition parties, the BJD and Congress, accused the ABVP of instigating the woman student to commit suicide.
BJD MLA Goutam Buddha Das claimed the student was a victim of a larger conspiracy involving the ruling BJP and ABVP leaders. He also demanded that BJP MP Pratap Sarangi, whom the student had reportedly contacted for help, be investigated.
“This is evident from the arrest of Subhra Sambait Nayak, who is the state joint secretary of ABVP,” Das told a press conference.
“We demand that Balasore’s BJP MP Pratap Sarangi, whom the woman student had sought help before killing self, should come under the purview of investigation,” Das told reporters.
Sarangi responded by challenging Das or the BJD to file an FIR against him if they believed he was responsible.
The students and youth activists of Congress also demanded action against the BJP and ABVP leaders involved in the self-immolation case.
Meanwhile, the ABVP issued a statement and condemned the arrest of two student leaders.
The organisation’s state secretary Diptimayi Pratihari said, as quoted by PTI, “ABVP is ready to extend full cooperation to the police in this matter, but the Vidyarthi Parishad will not remain silent if its workers are harassed and attempts to implicate innocents continue. Attempts by the Odisha Police to torture ABVP workers mentally and physically will be strongly opposed.”
She said that the ABVP makes it clear that it will continue to fight for justice for the victim, but if the police adopt a biased attitude, the Parishad will not tolerate it under any circumstances.
“It is very unfortunate to take action against those who come forward to save the victim. If the accomplices are made criminals in such cases, then anyone will hesitate to come forward to help the victim,” the ABVP leader said.
