Bhubaneswar: Fuel stations across Odisha will stop selling petrol in containers and bottles from July 21 (Monday). The Petroleum Dealers’ Association in the state has taken a decision in this regard in the wake of the self-immolation of a college girl in Balasore district recently.

“The fuel stations in the state will not sell petrol in bottles or containers from July 21. They will dispense petrol only into the fuel tanks of vehicles. A decision in this regard has been taken in the wake of the Balasore self-immolation incident,” said the association in a statement today.

In emergency situation, the fuel stations may sell petrol in containers and bottles after collecting the identity proof of the buyers, it added.

Representatives of the association are supposed to meet Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja on July 21 and hold discussions on all these issues.

It is worth mentioning here that a girl student of FM Autonomous College in Balasore attempted self-immolation by dousing herself with petrol on the campus on July 12 due to alleged harassment by a faculty member.

She suffered over 90 per cent burn injuries in the incident and succumbed to her injuries while being treated at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar on July 14.

It is suspected that the petrol used by the girl in her self-immolation attempt was purchased from a nearby fuel station in an open container.