Another case of a woman dying after setting herself ablaze has been reported in Odisha, this time from Kathiapada village in Kendrapara district.

A 20-year-old college student allegedly immolated herself on Wednesday, with her family blaming blackmail by her boyfriend for pushing her to die by suicide.

The woman’s father told the police that she was alone at home when she poured an inflammable substance on herself and lit the fire. “She was in a relationship with a man and was being blackmailed by him,” he said.

He also alleged that she had filed a police complaint six months ago, but no action was taken.

“The police asked my daughter to block the man's mobile number if he was harassing her,” he claimed.

Kendrapara Superintendent of Police Siddharth Kataria, who visited the spot, said, “I have seen the body. Her father claimed that she died by suicide. The matter will be investigated.”

This is the third such death of a woman from burn injuries in Odisha in the past 25 days.

On July 12, a 20-year-old female student of FM College in Balasore set herself on fire on the campus, after alleging sexual harassment by a professor.

She died two days later while undergoing treatment at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar.

The police on August 4, arrested two student leaders, Subhra Sambait Nayak and Jyoti Prakash Biswal, on charges of abetment of suicide and criminal conspiracy. The two, from the same college, allegedly shot a video of the woman’s self-immolation, which later went viral.

Biswal, initially praised for trying to save the woman and suffering burn injuries in the process, was discharged from SCB Medical College and Hospital before his arrest.

“Yes, initially it was believed that Biswal attempted to save the burning woman. But, during the investigation, it came to the fore that he was aware of the woman's plan and filmed the self-immolation attempt on his mobile phone. In the process, he sustained burn injuries,” a crime branch officer said.

Police have also arrested the college’s head of the B.Ed department, Samira Kumar Sahoo, and principal Dillip Ghose. The deceased had alleged that Sahoo had sought sexual favours from her, and her complaints to the college authorities had gone unheard.

The latest to succumb to burn injuries was a 15-year-old girl from Balanga area in Puri district.

She died on August 2 at AIIMS, New Delhi, after being airlifted from AIIMS Bhubaneswar on July 20. The girl had alleged in her initial statement that three men had gagged her and set her on fire near a riverbank.

But Odisha police tweeted that no one was involved, and her mother later backed the police’s version.

The spate of incidents had led to protest from Opposition parties, who have raised questions about the law and order situation of the state.

The Congress has announced a padayatra on August 12 from the riverbank, where the girl was allegedly attacked, to Nimapara, the hometown of Odisha’s deputy chief minister Pravati Parida.

BJD has announced a six-hour bandh in Puri on August 7 demanding justice for the teenager.