Bhubaneswar: The Crime Against Women and Children Wing (CAW&CW) of Odisha Police has instructed all superintendents of police (SPs) to urgently review pending and fresh grievances lodged by women and girls, in an effort to prevent them from taking extreme steps such as suicide. The directive comes in the wake of a series of self-immolation cases and suicides reported across the state in recent weeks.
Inspector General of Police (CAW&CW) S. Shyni issued a letter to all SPs, deputy commissioners of police (DCPs), and railway police superintendents, urging proactive intervention. She expressed concern over a growing trend of self-immolation and suicide attempts, particularly since the widely reported case of a Balasore Fakir Mohan Autonomous College student earlier this year.
Highlighting research that shows how media portrayal of suicidal behaviour can influence vulnerable individuals, Shyni urged police officers to handle such cases with heightened sensitivity. She also called for awareness campaigns and workshops, especially in schools, colleges, and training institutes, to identify and address vulnerabilities among teenagers, who are considered a high-risk group.
The IGP further appealed to district police to sensitise local journalists, stressing the importance of responsible reporting to avoid triggering similar incidents among impressionable audiences. Women and girls experiencing distress should be advised to seek mental health assistance either at the district level or via the tele-MANAS helpline at 14416, she said.
The urgency of the directive is underscored by recent incidents, with at least five women, including two minor girls, allegedly dying by suicide in the past month. On July 12, a 20-year-old FM Autonomous College student attempted self-immolation over alleged inaction on her sexual harassment complaint against a professor and later died during treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar. On July 19, a 15-year-old girl from Puri district suffered fatal burn injuries, initially reported by her mother as a case of murder but later concluded by police as self-inflicted. On August 6, a Kendrapara college student reportedly set herself ablaze following threats from her former boyfriend to upload her intimate photographs online. Most recently, a 13-year-old girl in Bargarh district and a Plus-3 student in Bhadrak were found dead in suspected suicide cases on August 11 and 12, respectively.
