Supreme Court Reacts Strongly to Odisha B.Ed Student's Self-Immolation in Protest Against Sexual Harassment; Seeks Measures for Women and Girls' Empowerment, Calling the Incident Shameful.
Odisha: The self-immolation of a B.Ed student in Balasore, Odisha, has shaken the nation. The Supreme Court has termed the incident shameful and sought suggestions from the central government and other parties regarding the safety and security of women and children. The court stated that the time has come to take concrete and effective steps to empower school girls, homemakers, and rural women.
Supreme Court's Displeasure over Balasore Incident
The Supreme Court has reacted bly to the self-immolation of a 20-year-old B.Ed student in Balasore, Odisha. The student had accused the HOD of her college of sexual harassment. Frustrated by the inaction of the college administration, the student immolated herself, and subsequently died during treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar.
Court Seeks Suggestions
The Supreme Court has asked the central government, states, and concerned parties how women in rural areas, school girls, and homemakers can be made safer and more empowered. The court stated that concrete and effective initiatives must be taken in this direction so that the impact is visible on the ground.
Victim Called Helpline but Received No Assistance
During the hearing, senior advocate Mahalaxmi Pavani stated that the victim had called the helpline but did not receive any assistance. She said that this is not just an individual tragedy but an "institutional murder" because the system did not take any action on her complaint.
Lack of Legal Knowledge, Lack of Awareness
Pavani informed the court that a large number of women in the country are still unaware of the available laws and complaint filing procedures. Due to a lack of information about online complaint mechanisms, they are unable to seek help. She said that women should be trained on legal rights and how to use the system.
National Database of Sexual Offenders Exists, But Not Being Utilized
The government side informed the court that a National Database of Sexual Offenders has been prepared. However, Pavani, citing the example of a rape case at Kolkata Law College, said that the accused had 11 prior complaints against him, but he was still kept in the college. This situation could have been avoided if the database was public.
The court was also informed that when women call helplines with complaints of harassment, they face 'moral policing' instead of proper police assistance.
Worrying Picture of Women's Safety Across the Country
The petition stated that there are approximately 17,563 police stations across the country, but only 3,256 of them are dedicated women's police stations. The number of railway stations is 7,863, but only 800 stations have CCTV cameras. Women in rural areas are particularly vulnerable and need immediate security and legal assistance.
