FM victim's dad blames ICC; BJD for judicial probe

The father of the 20-year-old deceased student of FM (Autonomous) College Tuesday held members of her college's internal complaint committee (ICC) 'solely responsible' for his daughter's death by self-immolation, even as Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) demanded a judicial inquiry into the 'planned injustice'.

- PNN & AGENCIES

He alleged that the ICC members prepared a “biased report” following her complaint of sexual harassment by a professor, prompting her to set herself on fire on the campus July 12.

She suffered 95 per cent burns and succumbed at AIIMS Bhubaneswar Tuesday.

“The ICC members are real culprits who created a biased report for which my daughter died by suicide. They have not been fair in the inquiry and blamed my daughter, instead of the accused teacher who indulged in sexual and mental harassment of my daughter,” the father said.

He claimed that based on the ICC report, the principal told my daughter that she was at fault and may be punished for making a false allegation against the teacher who is the head of the Education department.

“Let the ICC members come under the purview of the investigation,” her father said.

He complained against the ICC to Balasore Collector Suryawanshi Mayur Vikas and Superintendent of Police Raj Prasad, who visited the deceased student's residence to hand over the state government’s ex-gratia.

Balasore MP Pratap Sarangi also expressed his concern over the ICC report on her allegation of sexual and mental harassment.

“I have seen the ICC report. It was prepared to shield the accused teacher,” Sarangi said, claiming that it glorified the Education department head, the main accused.

The principal and the accused teacher were both suspended and subsequently arrested.

Meanwhile, the college remained closed for the day, and there was heavy deployment of police force on the campus.