Bhubaneswar- In a swift response to the tragic self-immolation attempt by Soumyashree Bisi, a second-year B.Ed student from Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore, AIIMS Bhubaneswar has constituted a dedicated expert committee to monitor her critical care treatment. The move comes as the 20-year-old remains on life support after sustaining over 90% burn injuries.
Soumyashree had allegedly taken the extreme step after months of unaddressed harassment by the Head of the Education Department, Samir Sahu, and perceived inaction by the college authorities. On Saturday, she staged a sit-in protest outside the college demanding justice. Frustrated by the lack of response, she poured petrol on herself and set herself ablaze in front of the principal’s chamber. Initially admitted to Balasore Medical College, she was later shifted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar for advanced care.
Recognizing the seriousness of her condition, AIIMS Bhubaneswar’s Medical Superintendent issued an official order forming a high-level medical panel to manage her treatment. The committee comprises senior specialists across disciplines, including anesthesiology, pulmonary medicine, nephrology, burn and plastic surgery, and nursing. Dr. Sanjay Giri, from the Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, has been designated as the Member Secretary of the team and is tasked with providing twice-daily updates on Soumyashree’s medical status.
According to Dr. Ashutosh Biswas, Director of AIIMS Bhubaneswar, the patient’s condition remains extremely critical. “She is on ventilator support, and both her lungs and kidneys have been severely affected. We are doing everything possible, but the next 24 to 48 hours are crucial,” he said.
The government has assured that all treatment costs will be borne by the state and that the patient’s family, currently staying near AIIMS, will be provided full support throughout her recovery.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi is scheduled to visit AIIMS to personally inquire about Soumyashree’s condition and meet her family. Earlier, Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling and Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj visited the hospital to assess the situation.
In the wake of the incident, both the college principal, Dillip Kumar Ghosh, and the accused HOD, Samir Kumar Sahu, have been suspended by the Higher Education Department. Sahu was later arrested by Sahadevkhunta Police.
To further investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and the student’s prior complaints, a three-member inquiry panel has also been formed by the Higher Education Department. The committee comprises Director Kali Prasanna Mohapatra, Joint Secretary Mousumi Nayak, and Dr. Jhumki Rath from BJB Autonomous College, Bhubaneswar. The panel will examine the harassment allegations, the response of the college administration, and identify any lapses or negligence.
The case has triggered widespread outrage across Odisha, with student unions and civil society demanding accountability and immediate reforms in how educational institutions handle sexual harassment complaints.
As Soumyashree clings to life in the ICU, her story has become a grim reminder of the price students may pay when institutional silence allows misconduct to go unchecked. The hope now rests on justice being served — and systemic change ensuring that no student ever feels this helpless again.
