The Odisha Police’s Crime Branch, who is investigating the death of the self-explosion of a college student in Balasore, said that the 20-year-old woman set herself on fire as her complaint of sexual harassment was “not valid” by the institute’s internal inquiry committee.
Crime Branch DG Vinayatosh Mishra said that its sleeves found discrepancies in the statements of witnesses in the case.
“The college officials took action on his complaint, and an internal investigation,” told reporters on Sunday. The investigation team did not validate his complaint. His extreme steps were a response to his plaintiff’s non-recognition. “
#Watch Balasore | In the case of Balasore self-explosion, Odisha Crime Branch DG Vinayatosh Mishra says, “The incident took place on 12 July, and on July 17, the women’s crime wing of our crime branch started investigation. In the initial stage, the local police arrested 2 … pic.twitter.com/gjkpcon6bo
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The Branch Crime Wing (CAW & CW) Fakir Mohan (Autonom) College’s Integrated Bed Department Head of Integrated Bed Department Sameera Kumar Sahu is investigating the student’s self-explosion after being denied justice on alleged sexual harassment.
The student amazed himself on 12 July and triggered nationwide resentment on the night of 14 July.
The crime branch handling the investigation from Balasore district police started an investigation into the matter on 17 July.
“We have found discrepancies amidst the statements of the internal grievance committee and police, and witnesses of their positions on social media. They have given different views and opinions before and after the incident. In -depth analysis of each statement is necessary, and it will take time. It will require a proper analysis against digital evidence to reach a conclusion.”

Saying that everyone will get justice according to the law, Mishra said that the crime branch will ensure that no innocent person is responsible for the death of the college student.
He said that the government has taken the matter seriously, and CAW and CW Inspector General S SHYNI visited Balasore twice to take care of the investigation.
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He said it was a complex case and the local police arrested the principal of two persons, Sahu and then Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College Dilip Ghosh.
It is mandatory to involve all of them in the incident directly or indirectly, the DG said.
He said that CCTV footage and other digital evidence collected by the crime branch were being sent to the State Forensic Science Laboratory for their opinion.
The statements of the members of the Internal Complaint Committee and the college staff were also being recorded, said that there was an inquiry to find out if anyone had encouraged him to go to self-forgotten.
Mishra said, “The crime branch has found several leads in the case. We ensure that the investigation has been conducted properly to ensure justice for a 20 -year -old woman.”
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Answering a question, the Crime Branch DG made it clear that the victim had not given a written complaint with the police, although the then principal of the college invited some police officers for a meeting on the charge of him.
An official said that apart from the crime branch, a four-member facts of the UGC were also investigating separately and a high-level team of the Higher Education Department of Odisha.
The UGC team’s investigation entered the third day on Sunday, and its members refused to give any indication of their findings.
The members of the Internal Complaint Committee constituted by the College Authority to look into the complaints of the student were being questioned by the investigation teams, and their statements were recorded, an officer said without dividing the details.
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