Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday who reached AIIMS Bhubaneswar and enquired about the condition of the college student said her health was “critical” and the state government would take strong action against the culprits. “The condition of the student is critical. She is being provided with the treatment akin to that available in AIIMS, Delhi. A medical team is formed for her treatment. The government will consider airlifting the patient after her condition stabilise,” Majhi told reporters.

Stating that the state government has taken the incident “very seriously”, Majhi said the Higher Education department has already formed a high-level committee to probe into the incident.  “The state government will take advance measures in educational institutions to avoid repeat of sexual harassment incidents on campus,” the chief minister said. Majhi also met the parents and family members of the victim student at the hospital. Earlier, Odisha Health minister Mukesh Mahaling and Higher Education minister Suryabanshi Suraj visited the hospital.

A woman student of a college in Odisha’s Balasore district, who had lodged a sexual harassment complaint against a teacher, on Saturday allegedly set herself on fire on the institute’s campus and sustained 90 per cent burns, the police said. The incident took place Saturday afternoon after the woman student met the principal of Fakir Mohan (Autonomous) College, Balasore, Dilip Kumar Ghose.