NHRC team begins inquiry into Nepalese student's death at Odisha's KIIT university

Bhubaneswar: A team of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Thursday began its inquiry into the death of a 20-year-old Nepalese girl student at the KIIT University.

The NHRC team would also look into alleged attacks on Nepalese students by the staff of the private institute.

Led by Joginder Singh, Registrar (Law), the inquiry team reached the airport and straight went to the KIIT University in the Infocity Police Station area.

“We will follow the commission’s order and work accordingly,” Singh told reporters.

Prakriti Lamsal, a third-year Computer Science student at KIIT, was found dead in a hostel room of the university on the evening of February 16. It was alleged that she died by suicide.

The commission has asked the team to submit findings by March 10.

Acting upon a complaint lodged by Ashutosh B, a resident of the city, and a letter from Nepal’s rights panel, the NHRC had formed a team of officers from the investigation and law divisions to conduct an on-spot inquiry into the student's death at KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, and submit a report by March 10.

"Considering the seriousness of the matter, the commission directs its registrar (law) to proceed with an inquiry in KIIT University along with a team consisting of two officers from the investigation division, one not below the rank of SSP, and one officer from law division," the NHRC order stated.

The complainant has claimed that Lamsal, a Nepalese student at KIIT University, had faced harassment by an engineering student at the institute, following which she died by suicide.

The victim had brought the harassment issue before the KIIT’s International Relations Office (IRO) but failed to get justice, the complainant alleged.

The local police have arrested one engineering student on the charge of abetment and he is now under judicial custody since February 17.

The complainant also alleged that the Nepalese students, who sought justice and protested the death of the girl student, were verbally abused, threatened and assaulted by KIIT officials and security guards.

The Nepalese students were allegedly served eviction notices, driven out of their hostel rooms and dropped at a railway station.

These students were allegedly asked to return to their country without making any return arrangements.

The police have arrested 10 officials of KIIT on the charge of assaulting the Nepalese students and five of them are still in jail.

The state government has also constituted a three-member committee headed by the additional chief secretary (home).

The panel has so far recorded statements of several KIIT staff, including its founder Achyuta Samanta.