The Orissa High Court (HC) on Tuesday refused to order a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the self-immolation of a college student who had accused a teacher of sexual harassment, PTI reported.

A division bench led by Chief Justice Harish Tandon, and also comprising Justice Manas Ranjan Pathak, expressed satisfaction with the ongoing investigation by the Crime Branch. It also issued notices to the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Congress for calling a bandh on July 17, which, the court said, disrupted normal life.

The 20-year-old second-year Integrated B Ed student of a Balasore college had immolated herself on July 12, shortly after leaving the principal’s chamber. She had reportedly been distressed over alleged inaction regarding her complaint against a professor. She succumbed to her injuries at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhubaneswar on the night of July 14, having suffered 95 per cent burns.