A close friend of the Fakir Mohan College student who died after setting herself ablaze has revealed that she endured persistent mental and academic harassment by the college’s Head of Department, Samir Kumar Sahu, for several months before her tragic act. The victim confided in her friends that Sahu deliberately failed her in exams and threatened her academic future if she did not comply with his demands.

On July 1, she formally lodged a complaint with the college’s Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), naming the HOD and detailing alleged sexual harassment. She warned that she would take her life if no action was taken . Despite assurances, the college failed to act. During a protest days later, she reportedly entered the principal’s office and self-immolated, sustaining burns over 95% of her body. She succumbed on July 14 at AIIMS Bhubaneswar.

The college principal, Dilip Ghose, and HOD Sahu have since been arrested on charges of abetment to suicide, sexual harassment, stalking, and outraging modesty of a woman . Authorities have suspended both and launched formal investigations. A government probe and UGC fact-finding panel are now examining institutional failures and ICC compliance.