Bhubaneswar: In a major development regarding the heart-wrenching incident of a self-immolation attempt by a B.Ed student of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College in Balasore, the police on Monday arrested the principal, Dillip Kumar Ghose. He was earlier suspended from his post by the State Higher Education department on Saturday following the self-immolation attempt by the victim, for failing to deal with the matter properly.

The action comes amid mounting outrage and growing demand for justice in the high-profile case that has rocked Odisha’s education system. The victim poured petrol and set herself ablaze in front of the principal’s chamber on Saturday over alleged sexual harassment by Head of Department (HoD) Samir Kumar Sahu.

The student, with over 90 per cent burn injuries, was rushed to Balasore Medical College, but was later shifted to AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, for advanced treatment. Prior to the self-immolation bid, the victim had staged a sit-in protest near the college campus demanding action against the accused HoD of the BEd department, Samir Kumar Sahu, for alleged misbehaviour. She was very upset as no action was taken against the HoD by the college authorities despite her lodging a formal complaint against Sahu.

Sahu was immediately arrested by Sahadev Khunta Police after a case was registered against him under various sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including 108 (abetment to suicide), 75(1)(iii) (sexual harassment), etc.

The State’s Higher Education department, in the suspension order, said the principal had failed to handle the matter properly and perform his duties. He was accused of shielding Education Department’s HoD Samir Kumar Sahu.

“My daughter set herself on fire minutes after coming out of the principal’s room. The principal had put pressure on her to withdraw the complaint against the teacher who sexually and mentally harassed my daughter,” her father alleged. A two-member team of the Crime Branch is investigating the incident following outrage across the State. The Education department has also formed a three-member committee to inquire into the incident.