Bhubaneswar:
Expediting its inquiry into the alleged suicide of a lady scholar and subsequent motion in opposition to different Nepalese pupils, the Odisha authorities’s high-level committee summoned KIIT founder Achyuta Samanta for his private look earlier than it on Friday.
The Larger Schooling Division, in a letter to Samanta on Thursday, mentioned, “You’re requested to look earlier than the high-level committee on 21.02.2025 at 6.30 pm at State Visitor Home to adduce proof with sufficient documentary proof earlier than the committee on the time period of reference as said within the workplace order.”
The three-member committee, headed by Further Chief Secretary, Dwelling Division, Satyabrata Sahu, is remitted to determine the circumstances resulting in the suicide, alleged high-handed motion by the institute authority, causes for issuing discover to solely a selected group of scholars and shutting the institute sine die for them and different incidental matter that emerges throughout inquiry.
The committee, additionally comprising the secretaries of upper schooling division and Girls and Little one Growth (WCD), had visited the KIIT campus on Wednesday and held a dialogue with among the Nepalese college students who had been allegedly mistreated by the staffers of the non-public institute for staging demonstration on the campus.
Larger Schooling Minister Suryabanshi Suraj mentioned, “The high-level committee is empowered to summon anybody for the aim of inquiry into the matter. The committee is performing on the idea of regulation.” Noting that the state authorities is dedicated to defending the curiosity of scholars, the minister mentioned.
“The state authorities has additionally mentioned with the officers of Nepal Embassy and apprised the scholars concerning the developments,” he mentioned.
The unrest in Kalinga Institute of Industrial Expertise (KIIT) started after the alleged suicide of 20-year-old Prakriti Lamsal, a scholar from Nepal, on Sunday afternoon. Different Nepalese college students staged agitation and demanded justice.
Allegedly aggravated by the demonstration, the KIIT authorities issued suspension notices to about 1,000 Nepalese college students and requested them to go away the campus on Monday.
Commissioner of Police S Dev Datta Singh, in the meantime, mentioned the police have obtained a three-day remand of a 21-year-old engineering scholar, who was arrested on cost of abetting the girl’s suicide.
The coed was caught on the Biju Patnaik Worldwide Airport right here whereas trying to flee the town on Sunday night, hours after the girl’s demise. He has been accused of blackmailing and verbally abusing her.
Following the intervention of the Centre and the state authorities, the KIIT authorities had tendered an apology and requested the Nepalese college students to return to the campus.
The state authorities has opened a round the clock assist desk, to facilitate the Nepalese college students’ protected return.
(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is printed from a syndicated feed.)