Bhubaneswar: In the wake of the tragic death of a 13-year-old girl in Odisha’s Bargarh district, Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan has urged victims of injustice to seek legal remedies instead of resorting to extreme measures like suicide.
“Suicide is not the solution to any problem. I request victims and their families to take the legal route… The doors are open from the Chief Minister to everyone,” Harichandan said, stressing the government’s willingness to address grievances through proper channels.
The Class 8 student, who had gone to visit her mother for Raksha Bandhan at her maternal uncle’s house, was found in a severely burnt condition on a football field near her maternal uncle’s house in Phiringimal village, under the Gaisilat police station limits of Bargarh district in the morning today. Villagers discovered her unconscious and rushed her to district headquarters hospital at Bargarh. As her condition deteriorated she was shifted to Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR), where she succumbed to her injuries.
Police have recovered a video the girl allegedly recorded before the incident. While her family has claimed she set herself on fire, investigators are probing all possible angles, including family disputes, mental health issues, and external pressures.
This is the fourth self-immolation death in Odisha in a month, raising alarm over the emotional and social challenges faced by young girls.
Balangir SP Avilash G, who is currently SP In-charge Bargarh said that a case based on the family’s complaint has been registered and the video has been sent for forensic analysis.
The incident has triggered widespread outrage. Opposition parties have slammed the state government for failing to check the rising number of such cases, calling for urgent interventions. Mental health experts have also stressed the need for awareness campaigns and support systems in rural areas to help prevent similar tragedies.
