KIIT student death: Odisha govt forms probe panel, asks institute to bring back Nepali students who were evicted

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Tuesday constituted a fact-finding committee to determine the circumstances that led to the 20-year-old Nepali girl’s unnatural death in KIIT hostel and what prompted the institute to issue suspension letters to students who were seeking justice.

The three-member panel will also probe why authorities of the institute did not inform the state government about its action against the students from the Himalayan kingdom.

The panel is headed by the additional chief secretary (Home). The other members are secretaries of the higher education and women and child development departments.

Prakriti Lamsal, a third-year B Tech (computer science) student at the city-based Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), allegedly died by suicide in her hostel room on Sunday afternoon, leading to unrest on the campus.

Meanwhile, the number of persons arrested in connection with the girl’s death and subsequent protests rose to six, police said.

While a 21-year-old KIIT student was arrested on charges of abetting the girl’s suicide on Sunday, five others, including three directors of the institute, were booked for their alleged act of abusing and assaulting the students from the Himalayan kingdom.

Reacting to the incident, state higher education minister Suryabanshi Suraj said the institute has been placed under notice, and appropriate legal and administrative action shall follow based on the findings of the fact-finding team.

Talking to reporters, Suraj claimed that the KIIT authorities had not informed the state government regarding the girl’s death and subsequent actions against Nepali students.

The minister said the reports of misconduct, including use of force against students by private individuals, are being investigated, and those responsible will be held accountable.

"The state government remains committed to ensuring the safety, dignity, and well-being of every student," the minister said, adding that the state administration will take necessary steps to ensure that justice is served swiftly and fairly.

The minister added that the government has also asked the institute's authorities to bring back all Nepali students who were evicted from the institute.

"Why were the Nepali students de-boarded at Cuttack railway station? Why did the institute's authorities not inform the government about the incident when it involved foreign students?" asked Suraj.

He claimed while nearly 100 Nepali students are still on the campus, 800 left for their homes.

Meanwhile, police handed over the body of the girl to her father Sunil Lamsal after post mortem examination at AIIMS Bhubaneswar. However, the body has been kept in the mortuary and will be flown to Nepal on Wednesday.

Expressing concern over the safety of international students at the institute, the girl’s father said, "They (KIIT) invited the students to join the institute and assured all safety and security. However, here things are different. I had sent my daughter for higher studies, but what happened here is not acceptable. I am hopeful of getting justice from the government."

"Police have registered two cases, one in connection with the girl’s suicide by hanging following her cousin’s complaint and another by police on the contents of the social media video where the security personnel and staff of the private university were abusing and beating up the students who protested over the incident," Bhubaneswar DCP Pinak Mishra told PTI.

Police have so far arrested six persons in connection with the girl’s death and the protests that followed.

The arrested persons are director general (HR) Sibananda Mishra, director (administration) Pratap Kumar Chamupaty, director of hostels Sudhir Kumar Rath and Ramakanta Nayak (45) and security guards Jogendra Behera and Ramakanta Nayak. On Monday, police arrested a 21-year-old KIIT student on charges of abetting the girl’s suicide.

In the footage, these security guards were seen assaulting the students when they were picketing and demanding justice over the girl’s death, officials claimed.

Meanwhile, students of the institute on Tuesday evening held a candlelight rally seeking justice for the victim.

Some students also vandalised the selfie point at the institute's main entrance. Bajrang Dal and CPI-M supporters also staged protests in the city seeking justice for the girl.

The issue was also raised in the state Assembly, where the members, cutting across party lines, expressed concern over the death of the girl and subsequent incidents where the students of the neighbouring country were evicted from the hostel.

All the members admitted that the KIIT developments have brought a bad name to the state, and they should not be tolerated.

While Congress demanded a judicial inquiry into the matter relating to the death of the girl and alleged torture of students, the BJP members demanded the arrest of KIIT founder Achyuta Samanta.

The BJD said the incident was an outcome of the worsening law and order situation in BJP-ruled Odisha.

The Nepal government said it may stop issuing no objection certificates to students who wish to study in institutes in Odisha if the situation arising from the death of the student is not resolved in a "justifiable and legal way". The country's Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in a statement said it may suspend issuance of no objection certificate (NOC) in the future to students wishing to study in any university or educational institutions in Odisha.