KIIT Row: Action in the suicide case of Nepali student, high-level committee summoned KIIT founder

The investigation into the alleged suicide of the female student in the hostel and the subsequent action of expelling other Nepali students has been intensified. Now the high-level committee of the Odisha government has asked Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) founder Achyuta Samanta to appear before it on Friday.

The Higher Education Department said in a letter to Samanta, 'You are requested to appear before the high-level committee at the State Guest House on February 21 at 6.30 pm. Submit sufficient documents as evidence before the committee as per the conditions in the office order.'

A three-member committee has been formed under the leadership of Satyabrata Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department. It has been given the responsibility of investigating the circumstances of the suicide, arbitrary action of the institute authorities, issuing notices to only a particular group of students, closing the institute for them indefinitely, and other related matters.

Earlier, the committee had gone to KIIT on Wednesday. During this time I talked to some Nepali students. These were the students who were allegedly mistreated by the institute's staff when they protested on the campus. Higher Education Minister Suryavanshi Suraj said, 'The high-level committee has the right to call anyone to investigate the matter. The committee is working based on law.'

The minister said that the state government is committed to protecting the interests of the students. He said, 'The state government has also discussed with the officials of the Nepal Embassy and informed the concerned students about the developments.'

What is the matter?

The unrest in KIIT started on Sunday afternoon after the alleged suicide of 20-year-old Nepali student Prakriti Lamsal. After this, Nepali students protested over the incident and demanded justice. Allegedly angry with the protest, the KIIT management had issued suspension notices to about 1,000 Nepali students and asked them to leave the campus on Monday.

Accused in custody, accused of instigating a student to suicide.

Meanwhile, Police Commissioner S Dev Dutta Singh said that the police have obtained three-day custody of a 21-year-old engineering student, who was arrested for instigating the woman to commit suicide. The student was caught at the Biju Patnaik International Airport here on Sunday evening while trying to flee the city a few hours after the death of the Nepali student. He is accused of blackmailing and abusing the student.

Five more employees were arrested.

At the same time, Odisha Police on Thursday arrested five more KIIT employees on charges of attacking Nepali students. The attack took place when they were vacating the hostel following the instructions of the institute. With this, the number of people arrested in the KIIT controversy has gone up to 11, including an engineering student.