When Teachers Become Predators: The Tragic Death of Saumya Mishri

In India, whenever a man is murdered by his wife, or when men take their own lives due to domestic abuse, the entire nation shakes. Names like Atul Subhash and Raja Raghuvanshi dominate headlines, social media, and endless debates on TV panels. But in this flood of male-centric tragedies, we often forget that women, too, are suffering silently, and no one seems to care.

Odisha Bandh on July 17: Congress Calls for Justice in Soumyashree Death  Case | Mycitylinks

Recently, in Odisha, a 20-year-old girl named Saumya Mishri set herself ablaze outside her college principal’s office. Why? Because her teacher, the very person meant to guide her, became her predator.

This wasn’t just an unfortunate “incident.” It was the death of trust – the sacred trust upon which the teacher-student relationship stands. Saumya refused to trade her dignity for attendance or passing marks. She bowed her head in respect to her teacher but refused to sell her soul. Perhaps if she had agreed to his demands, she would still be alive today – though as a living corpse, stripped of her self-worth.

When her story surfaced, there was no national outrage. No TV debates. No anchors reaching her home for exclusive interviews. Why? Because in India, crimes against women have become the new normal. Eve-teasing, sexual harassment, molestation – these words no longer ignite our anger. They no longer awaken our conscience.

If an actor gets injured on set or a Bollywood actress dies after cosmetic procedures, their stories run for days. But a 20-year-old girl who was harassed by her teacher, who gathered every last drop of courage to complain, to write to authorities, to tag government officials on social media – her death could not even make it to a primetime headline.

Saumya Mishri was a bright B.Ed student from Balasore, Odisha. Her dream was simple – to become a teacher and educate children, uplift society, and make her parents proud. But her Head of Department, Samir Kumar Sahu, began sexually harassing her. He made inappropriate demands and advances. When she resisted, he made her life a living hell. He manipulated her attendance, failed her deliberately in exams, and mentally tortured her.

Still, Saumya refused to give up. She gathered her strength and filed a written complaint with her college principal, Dilip Ghosh, on June 30. She told her friends. She raised her voice on social media. But no one listened. Not the administration. Not the government. Not even her friends.

💔 TRAGIC: Odisha Student Who Self-Immolated Passes Away - PRAYERS 🙏🏻  Soumyashree Bishi, a student of FM Autonomous College, Balasore, who had  self-immolated seeking justice, has sadly passed away while under treatment

Finally, on July 12, 2025, Saumya set herself on fire outside the principal’s office. Her body was 95% burnt. She was shifted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar and placed on a ventilator. Despite doctors’ best efforts, she died on July 14 at 11:30 PM.

After her death, the authorities woke up. Her teacher was arrested, and the principal was suspended. But Saumya’s story asks us a haunting question: if only these actions were taken while she was alive, wouldn’t she still be here today?

She cried for help. She screamed for justice. She wanted to live. But her courage punished her. Had she stayed silent, she may have lived a life of humiliation and trauma. But she chose dignity over submission, and society failed her.

This is not an isolated incident. Across India, from schools to universities to workplaces, women face systematic harassment. Many quietly endure it to protect their careers. Saumya was among the few who spoke up. Yet, the system murdered her courage.

Ten days before her death, Saumya wrote on social media that if she did not receive justice, she would end her life. No one listened. Her posts did not trend. They were not “entertaining” enough for mainstream media.

Every day in India, women are raped, molested, and harassed. NCRB 2022 data says over 31,500 rapes were reported that year – 86 every day, or more than 3 every hour. These are just the reported cases. The reality is far worse. In Delhi, 144 out of every 100,000 women face some form of crime annually. Odisha’s figure is 103. These are not numbers; they are stories of pain, humiliation, and trauma.

Yet, as a society, we remain silent. We move on quickly unless the victim is a celebrity or the story guarantees TRPs and social media virality. Saumya’s death did not create headlines because it was not “profitable news.”

When women speak up, the accused often uses power and connections to silence them. Victim-blaming questions arise: Why did you wear such clothes? Why were you out late? Why were you so friendly with boys? Society never asks why the predator did what he did.

Saumya Mishri’s story is every woman’s story – every girl who dared to fight for her dignity and was abandoned by society. Her death reminds us that our conscience has become numb. We need to change policies to ensure immediate action against sexual harassment in colleges. Complaints must be taken seriously, evidence collected honestly, and justice delivered swiftly.

Media must give space to such stories to create public pressure. Society must stand with these daughters instead of silencing them. We need to teach our sons that real strength lies not in abusing power but in protecting and respecting others’ dignity.

Today, as you read this, ask yourself: Why did no one listen to Saumya? Why did her courage lead her to death, not justice? If this does not shake you, what will? Tomorrow it could be your sister, your daughter, your friend. Will you stay silent then too?

Saumya’s last scream was for justice. Let us not let it fade away as just another death. Let us ensure that the next Saumya finds courage in a society that stands with her – not one that forces her to set herself on fire to be heard.