Jamshedpur: The tragic death of 20-year-old B.Ed student Soumyashree from Odisha, who set herself ablaze following months of alleged sexual harassment by her college department head, has sparked national outrage. In response, the Savarna Mahasangh Foundation of India, under the leadership of National President D.D. Tripathi and State Women’s Front President Anisha Sinha, submitted a memorandum to the President of India through the Deputy Commissioner of East Singhbhum, demanding a speedy trial and capital punishment for all individuals responsible for the student’s death.
Addressing journalists after the submission, Tripathi shared that Soumyashree, a bright and committed student who aspired to contribute to nation-building as a teacher, had been relentlessly harassed by the head of her department. According to Tripathi, sexual favours were demanded from her in exchange for internal marks and attendance. When she refused, she was subjected to constant threats, including warnings that her academic year would be wasted.
Despite her courage in filing a complaint with the college management on 1 July 2025, the institution’s Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) allegedly cleared the accused of all charges. Tripathi alleged that the principal further intimidated her, asking her to withdraw the complaint or face expulsion. Undeterred, Soumyashree reached out to the National Commission for Women (NCW), University Grants Commission (UGC), and both the state and central governments through social media—tagging relevant authorities and pleading for help. But no response came.
Left isolated and hopeless, she set herself on fire in front of the principal’s office on 12 July and, despite medical efforts, succumbed to her injuries on 14 July. She suffered 90 percent burns.
Tripathi described Soumyashree as “the bright future of upper-caste society and the nation,” whose dreams of educating and uplifting society were brutally extinguished. “This is not just a death—it is a shameful defeat for all who raise slogans of Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao and women’s safety,” he said. He questioned the role of the government and whether offering compensation is enough for a young life lost to institutional apathy. “The Chief Minister of Odisha must accept moral responsibility for this tragedy and resign immediately,” Tripathi demanded.
The memorandum submitted calls for the constitution of a fast-track court, immediate arrest of all those complicit in covering up the harassment, and exemplary punishment to deter similar crimes in educational institutions.
Among those who accompanied the delegation were Mahila Morcha State President Anisha Sinha, State General Secretary Rajni Singh, District President Sunita Mishra, Namita Sinha, Dulari Jha, District Organization General Secretary Maheshwar Pratap Singh, State President Babu Birendra Singh, State General Secretary Ravi Shankar Tiwari, Organization General Secretary Sanjeev Kumar Srivastava, National Patron Sanwar Lal Sharma, and others including Hridayananda Tiwari, Upendra Tiwari, and Laila Tiwari.
