Bhubaneswar, Dec 8: Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik has strongly condemned the tragic death of a Rajgangpur-based college student, who succumbed to severe burn injuries after allegedly setting herself on fire due to harassment by her male friend. The young woman passed away during treatment at Rourkela’s IGH Hospital in the early hours of Monday, sparking widespread grief and outrage.

In a post on his X handle, Patnaik described the incident as deeply disturbing and accused the government of failing to ensure the safety of women in the state. He said such incidents reflect a systemic collapse of governance, pointing to lapses in law enforcement and lack of timely intervention.

Patnaik highlighted the family’s claim that they had received prior death threats, yet no preventive action was taken by authorities. Calling this negligence “astonishing,” he questioned how many more innocent lives would be lost before the government acts decisively.

Expressing condolences to the bereaved family, he urged the government to take immediate and firm action against those responsible. Patnaik also demanded stronger measures to curb rising crimes against women, insisting that people are feeling unsafe while criminals move freely. He emphasized that the government must restore law and order and ensure justice for the victim.

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