An undergraduate student in Odisha’s Balasore district set herself on fire on Saturday during a protest, after her complaint of sexual harassment against an assistant professor allegedly went unaddressed, The Indian Express reported.

She sustained 90% burn injuries and is in critical condition at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Bhubaneswar.

Following the incident, the state government took cognisance of the matter.

The accused, Assistant Professor Samir Kumar Sahu, who heads the education department at Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore, was arrested and sent to judicial custody, The Hindu reported.

The college principal, Dilip Ghosh, has also been suspended for alleged negligence.

The student had submitted a written complaint to the college’s Internal Complaints Committee, which allegedly failed to act, The Indian Express reported. No action was reportedly taken on a police complaint she filed on July 1 either.

College authorities later claimed that the committee submitted its report on July 9 but did not make any recommendations regarding the sexual harassment allegations.

The student had accused the faculty member of seeking “undue and inappropriate favours” and threatening to jeopardise her academic future if she refused, a classmate told the newspaper. She also alleged that she was being stopped from attending classes.

Balasore Superintendent of Police Raj Prasad said that a special team has been formed to investigate the matter, The Indian Express reported.

Responding to questions about the delay in police action, Prasad said that the woman had submitted a complaint to the Internal Complaints Committee on June 30 before approaching the police.

“We followed up with the committee, which said they would submit a report within five days,” the newspaper quoted him as saying. “When that did not happen, we asked again. We are now verifying the proceedings of the committee and their inquiry status.”

Odisha Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj said that given the sensitivity of the case, a high-level inquiry committee has been constituted.

“Further action will be taken based on the committee’s report,” the Hindustan Times quoted him as saying.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi who visited AIIMS Bhubaneswar to monitor the woman’s condition told The Hindu, “We will take all possible steps to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. We will surely take action based on the inquiry report.”

The National Commission for Women has also taken suo moto cognisance of the incident, calling it “deeply disturbing.”

Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar directed the Odisha director general of police to ensure a fair and time-bound investigation and to extend all necessary medical and psychological support to the student. The commission has sought an action taken report within three days, The Hindu reported.

Political row erupts

The incident has sparked a political row in the state, with former Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal leader Naveen Patnaik criticising the administration for its failure to act.

In a statement posted on social media, Patnaik claimed the girl had previously attempted suicide and had reached out multiple times but received no help.

“This tragic incident lays bare the stark reality of how she was denied justice, despite repeatedly voicing her grievances from the college principal to the higher education minister and right up to Union Minister and Odisha ,” he said.

despite repeatedly voicing her grievances from the College Principal to the Higher Education Minister and right upto Union Minister and the Chief Minister

Meanwhile, a group of Congress leaders met the student’s family and accused the state government of ignoring her complaint, The Hindu reported.