Bhubaneswar, Aug 4 (IANS) Politics heated up in Odisha on Monday following the midnight arrest of two student leaders in connection with the tragic death of FM College student after her self-immolation attempt near the principal’s chamber in Balasore on July 12, over alleged sexual harassment by one of the faculty members of the college.

The girl, who sustained over 90 per cent burn injuries, succumbed later while undergoing treatment at Bhubaneswar AIIMS.

After 22 days of the unfortunate incident, the accused identified as Subhra Sambit Nayak, and Jyoti Prakash Biswal were arrested late on Sunday night by the Crime Branch on charges of criminal conspiracy and abetment of suicide.

The Opposition Biju Janata Dal on Monday lashed out at the Odisha government and the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) following the arrest of the two students’ leaders reportedly linked to the ABVP.

Addressing a Press conference here on Monday, BJD MLA Goutam Buddha Das alleged that the ABVP, which has no significant presence in colleges across Odisha, plotted a conspiracy and instigated the FM College student to take the extreme step, aiming to gain popular sympathy in its favour ahead of the college elections.

The state government has recently announced the resumption of college elections in Odisha.

Das further accused BJP leaders of being the chief conspirators behind the whole incident.

He alleged that the FM College student lost her life by falling prey to this conspiracy.

Meanwhile, the ABVP strongly criticised the Odisha Police for the midnight arrest of Nayak and Biswal.

“In the heart wrenching incident of college student and ABVP worker Soumyashree’s death after self-immolation, the apprehension of two of her classmates at midnight by the police administration is a blatantly partisan act, which points to deep political conspiracy. ABVP condemns failed attempts by the police to save their real political masters,” alleged the organisation in a Press statement.

The ABVP held the alleged sexual harassment of the girl by the arrested HoD, Samir Kumar Sahu, along with character assassination attempts on social media allegedly by leaders of the BJD and Congress student wings, responsible for the FM College student taking the extreme step.

The organisation targeted Odisha Police for not taking any action against the BJD and Congress student leaders.

–IANS

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