Nepali student row: KIIT founder told to appear before high-level fact finding committee
Bhubaneswar, Feb 20 (IANS) The Odisha Higher Education Department on Thursday asked KIIT University founder Achyut Samanta to appear before the High Level Committee on February 21 for enquiry into the alleged suicide of the female Nepali student and subsequent mistreatment meted out against students by the authorities of the University.
He has also been asked to all the necessary produce documents related to the incident.
“I am directed to intimate that the High Level Committee has decided to conduct an enquiry into the alleged suicide of a student and subsequent actions taken by the authorities of the University. Hence, you are requested to appear before the High-Level Committee on 21.02.2025 at 6.30 p.m. at Mini Conference Hall, New Annexe Building, State Guest House, Bhubaneswar and to adduce evidence with adequate documentary evidence before the Committee,” reads the official communication by the HE department.
Notably, the Odisha government on Tuesday constituted the high-level fact-finding committee to enquire into the alleged death of Prakriti Lamsal and ill-treatment meted out to students from Nepal by the authorities of the KIIT Deemed University in Bhubaneswar.
The committee comprises Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, Principal Secretary, Women & Child Development Department and Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Higher Education Department as Members.
The Committee on Wednesday visited the University campus and had detailed discussions with the students of Nepal who are there in the Hostel, as well as the authorities of the University.
The Committee also visited various places of the campus related to the incident.
Notably, the deceased Prakriti, a third-year BTech (Computer Science) student of the KIIT University ended her life on Sunday following continued harassment by her estranged boyfriend Advik Shrivastava, a student of B.Tech (Mechanical).
After the news of her death came to fore, the students staged a protest demanding justice for the deceased.
This irked the University authorities who asked all the Nepali to leave the University campus immediately.
The authorities of the private university even forcefully evicted the students from the campus and also allegedly assaulted them on Monday.
The university after drawing flak from all the corners later issued an apology letter over the incident and urged the students to return to the campus. Two senior hostel officials and one senior administrative officer of the International Relations Office have also been suspended pending enquiry.
Meanwhile, expressing deep condolences to the family members of Prakriti, the founder of KIIT University Achyut Samanta had declared the special scholarship for Nepali students in the name of Prakriti.
“Prof. Achyuta Samanta met her father and uncle and assured them that Prakriti’s dreams will live on. To honour her memory, and in accordance with her father’s wish, KIIT will introduce a special scholarship for Nepali students in her name. This initiative will ensure that many more talented students like Prakriti have the opportunity to pursue their education without hurdles,” informed the KIIT administration on its X handle on Thursday.
–IANS
gyan/pgh
