Odisha Govt Forms High Level Fact Finding Committee on KIIT Student’s Alleged Suicide

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government has formed a high level committee to probe into various aspects of the alleged suicide by a Nepali girl student in the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University campus here.

The Committee consists of Addl. Chief Secretary, Home Department, Principal Secretary, Women & Child Development Department and Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Higher Education Department as Members.

“In light of the recent unfortunate incident relating to KIIT University, the Government of Odisha has taken immediate cognizance of the matter and taken steps to arrest security guards and suspension of erring officials involved. The institution has been placed under notice, and appropriate legal and administrative action shall follow based on the findings of the High Level Fact Finding Committee constituted by the Government”, an official statement issued by the state government said.

Reports of misconduct including the use of force against students by private individuals are being investigated into, and those responsible, shall be held accountable as per the law, it added.

The Odisha Government will take all necessary steps to ensure that justice is served swiftly and fairly, the statement added.

Earlier today, several legislators across party lines raised the issue in the Odisha Assembly, demanding action against the authorities of the private educational institute for the incident.

The legislators alleged that the incident tarnished Odisha’s image on international platforms.

Raising the issue in the House during the Zero Hour on Tuesday, senior Biju Janata Dal leader Pratap Keshari Deb said that the image of Odisha is tarnished on the global stage due to the suicide and subsequent forceful eviction of Nepali students by the university authorities.

He also alleged that the law and order situation in the state has been deteriorating rapidly under the BJP government that came to power using ‘Odia Asmita’.

Similarly, Congress leader Taraprasad Bahinipati demanded a judicial probe into the suicide of the female student and the allegations of assault on other students from Nepal.

Bahinipati also warned to sit on protest in the House if the BJP government does not accept his demand for a judicial probe.

He said that the relationship of Odisha with Nepal is deep and the mistreatment meted out to the Nepali students is shameful.

The deceased Prakriti Lamsal (20), a student of B.Tech (Computer Science) at KIIT University, ended her life on Sunday following harassment by her estranged boyfriend and the accused Advik Shrivastava, a student of B.Tech (Mechanical), as per reports.