Bhubaneswar, July 15 -- Eight Opposition political parties, including the Congress, on Tuesday unitedly called for 'Odisha Bandh' on July 17 over the death of a 20-year-old girl student from Balasore, demanding the resignation of the State Higher Education Minister and a judicial investigation.

"Joint opposition has resolved that Odisha will be closed on 17th July," CPI(M) leader Suresh Panigrahi told ANI.

"The victim girl appealed to the Odisha government, the local MP and MLA, Principal, District Collector, SP and the Higher Education Minister of state and centre, but nothing happened... We demand a strict judicial investigation of the whole incident, the Higher Education Minister should resign, and some action should be taken against...