ANIOdisha observes bandh over Balasore student's self-immolation case Bhadrak: Several opposition parties in Odisha observed a state-wide bandh on Thursday to protest against the death of a 20-year-old student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore, who died after attempting self-immolation.Shops remained shut and traffic was disrupted in many areas, including Bhadrak and Mayurbhanj. In Bhadrak, markets were closed and public transport was affected.The bandh also caused long traffic jams on the Chennai-Kolkata Highway, where trucks and other vehicles were left stranded. Bus services were impacted in different parts of the state.The Congress party, along with other opposition groups, including the All India Forward Bloc, led the bandh. They blamed the state government for failing to respond to the student's repeated cries for help.Protesters demanded a proper investigation into the case and called for stronger measures to ensure the safety and justice for women in the state.Live EventsA day earlier, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) had also taken to the streets and called for a 'Balasore Bandh' in protest against the Odisha government. BJD chief and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik strongly criticised the state government and the police over the alleged use of force against BJD workers who were protesting in connection with the case.On Tuesday, eight opposition parties, including the Congress, jointly called for an 'Odisha Bandh' on July 17, demanding the resignation of the State Higher Education Minister and a judicial investigation into the matter.The 20-year-old student had allegedly faced sustained sexual harassment by the Head of Department (HoD) at Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College in Balasore. Despite filing a formal complaint and repeatedly seeking help from the college principal, her concerns reportedly went unaddressed, leading her to set herself on fire on campus last Saturday.She was first admitted to Balasore district hospital and later shifted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar, where she succumbed to her burn injuries on Monday, according to hospital authorities.Following the incident, the college's HoD, Samira Kumar Sahu, and Principal, Dilip Ghose, have been arrested in connection with the case. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel) Read More News onOdisha bandhFakir Mohan Autonomous Collegesexual harassment caseCongress party OdishaBiju Janata Dalwomen safety OdishaNaveen PatnaikCongress (Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2025 Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online....moreless (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)Read More News onOdisha bandhFakir Mohan Autonomous Collegesexual harassment caseCongress party OdishaBiju Janata Dalwomen safety OdishaNaveen PatnaikCongress(Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2025 Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online....moreless Prime ExclusivesInvestment IdeasStock Report PlusePaperWealth Edition123View all Stories