CCTV Footage Confirms Soumyashree Bought Petrol Before Self-Immolation

Bhubaneswar: In a significant breakthrough in the investigation into the tragic self-immolation of Soumyashree Bisi, a student of Fakir Mohan College, Crime Branch officials have recovered crucial CCTV footage that appears to support the theory of a pre-planned act.

The footage, recorded on July 12 at 10:44 AM, reportedly shows Soumyashree riding her bicycle to a nearby petrol pump to purchase petrol—just hours before she immolated herself in front of the college principal’s chamber. The video was sourced from a CCTV camera installed on the road between FM College and Chandipur, and it seemingly confirms that she had deliberately procured the fuel used in the act.

Soumyashree, a second-year Integrated B.Ed student, had allegedly been distressed over the college administration’s handling of her complaint against the accused Head of Department (HoD), Samira Kumar Sahu. Later that same day, she set herself ablaze on campus, sustaining over 95% burn injuries. She succumbed to her injuries on July 14 while undergoing treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar.

The Crime Branch, which is currently investigating the incident, has not yet issued an official statement on the CCTV footage. Authorities are working to verify the authenticity of the video as part of their ongoing inquiry.

Meanwhile, the investigation has led to further arrests. Following the earlier detention of HoD Samira Kumar Sahu and the college principal, police have now apprehended two students believed to be connected to the case. With these latest developments, the total number of arrests has risen to four.

The case continues to stir public outrage and calls for justice, with students and rights groups demanding accountability and a transparent investigation into the circumstances that led to Soumyashree’s death.