Former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has called for an eight-hour bandh in protest against the death of a college student in Odisha. The 20-year-old girl self-immolated herself because of alleged sexual harassment by her teacher.
The effect of the bandh was seen in Balasore on Wednesday morning. Shops, establishments and markets remained closed. Apart from this, very few vehicles were seen on the roads.
However, ambulance and other emergency services are running.
Biju Janata Dal workers took to the streets and protested and raised slogans.
Biju Janata Dal is cornering the BJP after the death of a student admitted in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Odisha's capital Bhubaneswar.
The BJD workers burned tyres on the roads in Balasore expressing anger over the "inaction" of government that led the girl to self-immolate herself in protest of the sexual harassment.
Girl had accused HoD of sexual harassment
The student had attempted suicide on Saturday due to lack of action in the sexual harassment case. After this, she was admitted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar in critical condition.
The student had accused the head of a department at Fakir Mohan College in Balasore, Odisha of sexual harassment.
On Monday, the police arrested the college principal Dilip Kumar Ghosh. The accused department head Sameer Sahu has also been arrested in the case.
The student's family alleges that she was being sexually harassed for the past several months and she had also complained against it to the college administration, but the student took such a step when no action was taken in this matter.
Rahul Gandhi speaks to girl's father
After the death of the college student in Odisha, Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi spoke to her father.
Rahul Gandhi wrote on the social media platform X, "Spoke to the father of the brave girl who lost her life in the fight for justice in Balasore, Odisha. Felt the pain, dream and struggle of the daughter in his voice."
Rahul Gandhi has said that he assured the girl's father that the Congress party and he are with him at every step.
He said, "What happened is not only inhuman and shameful, it is a wound for the entire society."
We will ensure at all costs that the victim's family gets complete justice, Rahul said.
Prakash Kumar Pandey