Odisha college student dies by suicide after cops don’t act on blackmail complaint

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Published on: Aug 06, 2025 08:37 pm IST

Her father alleged that she filed a police complaint against the man with the local police station six months ago, but no action was taken

Bhubaneswar: A 19-year-old college student in Odisha’s Kendrapara set herself on fire after the police didn’t act on her complaints of blackmail by a male friend, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

The incident took place on Wednesday when the woman’s parents were away (FILE IMAGE)

The woman poured kerosene on herself at home and set herself ablaze when her parents were away on Wednesday morning. Police said the woman had been in a relationship with a man in the past who had been blackmailing her using her private photos and videos.

Her father alleged that she had filed a formal police complaint against the man with the local police station six months ago, but the Pattamundai rural police station hadn’t acted on her complaint. Instead, he said, one police officer told his daughter to block the man’s phone number.

Kendrapara superintendent of police Siddhrath Kataria who visited the spot and talked to the girl’s family members said police will look into all aspects while probing the incident. Police have registered a case of unnatural death.

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