Balasore self-immolation case: College principal showed girl adverse inquiry report, claims MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi

In a major twist in the Balasore student self-immolation case, local MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi on Saturday revealed that the principal of the college had confronted the student with an adverse internal inquiry committee report and sought an apology on the very day she had committed the extreme act. This detail tallies with a police complaint registered by the student's cousin following the incident.

Addressing mediapersons in Balasore, Sarangi told that the principal confessed having informed the student that the report was in the favor of the teacher and requested that she tender an apology letter to end the matter. "He said he was attempting to counsel her, but I wonder if it can really be called counselling," Sarangi told.

The MP, who had received the student on June 30 to hear her complaint, faulted the inquiry committee's approach, especially their tendency to conduct interviews of students collectively, arguing that it would result in prejudiced testimonies.

The security guard of the principal testified before Sarangi that the accused teacher was indeed present in the principal's chamber when the student had met the principal, contrary to the principal's initial denial.

The ex-Union minister noted a number of anomalies in the report of the internal inquiry committee, observing its seeming bias towards the instructor while paying attention to immaterial facts regarding the student's behavior. "The report is more of an advocacy for the teacher than an impartial inquiry," he noted.

Reacting to the criticism by the opposition, Sarangi invited a judicial probe by a Supreme Court sitting judge and rejected charges against him as politically motivated. "I handled this matter with utmost sincerity and commitment. I have no connection with this incident, but false propaganda is being carried out on social media against me," he explained.

The MP reported that the student had made a formal complaint of harassment against an assistant professor on June 30. Even with the principal's guarantee of an investigation, student leaders petitioned Sarangi in cases of administrative inaction.

"I personally met the college principal and Superintendent of Police as soon as I heard the students' complaints. I personally met her and assured her there would be justice," Sarangi added, saying he had hoped the internal committee would have been fair in its probe, but unfortunately, that was not the case.

Meanwhile, crime branch probing the self-immolation of the girl has proceeded investigation to determine some aspects of the case, such as source of petrol used to commit self-immolation, reality behind the allegation of sexual harassment brought by the girl against the teacher and institutional reaction to the allegation. Sources informed that the CB sleuths have attempted to track down the individual who had purchased petrol for the girl. The researchers interrogated fuel filling points near the college about buying petrol in bottles by anyone on July 12.

A team of the University Grants Commission (UGC) who arrived at Balasore on Friday has proceeded with its investigation separately following sequence of events from the day the girl initially complained until she died. The team questioned various students, employees and individuals who frequent the campus over the last two days in order to know facts, sources added.