Bhubaneswar: As many as 1000 of 1100 Nepalese students, who left the KIIT-DU following the February 16 unrest, have returned to the campus to resume their academic pursuits, the varsity said in a release on Friday.
“Their return demonstrates the strong ties between KIIT-DU and its international student community, particularly from Nepal. The remaining 100 students are on their way and will be reaching soon,” it said.
The varsity expressed gratitude to the Government of India, the Ministry of External Affairs, the Odisha Government, the Nepalese Government, and the Nepalese Embassy in New Delhi for the return of the students.
It further stated that the KIIT administration, in coordination with law enforcement authorities, had taken immediate steps to restore normalcy and ensure the safety and well-being of all students. “With the situation stabilised, KIIT-DU engaged in continuous dialogue with the Nepal Embassy, student representatives, and parents to reassure them about the security and support available at the university. Special grievance redressal mechanisms were put in place to address any concerns and enhance the overall student experience,” it said.
The varsity said that these efforts saw the return of Nepalese students to the campus with “renewed confidence”. “The university has reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining an inclusive, safe, and academically enriching environment for all its students,” it added.
Meanwhile in the Odisha Assembly….
Earlier in the day, Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj told the Assembly that a committee of professors has been set up to safeguard the interest of students and ensure proper academic environment at the private institute.
The committee comprises two senior professors from Utkal University and two from Rama Devi Women’s University. “The members will visit KIIT every 15 days for the next three months to monitor the academic environment and later visit the campus every month,” the minister said.
He was replying to a written question of Congress member Taraprasad Bahinipati, who had asked about measures taken by the state government following the death of 20-year-old Nepali student Prakriti Lamsal and the subsequent unrest on the KIIT campus.
“The state government has already set up a high-level committee headed by the additional chief secretary (home) to probe the incidents and 14 top KIIT officials, including its founder Achyuta Samanta, have deposed before it,” he said.
Suraj mentioned that Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and he spoke to the Nepalese ambassador and high-ranking officials of the Himalayan nation, assuring them that students would not encounter any more obstacles in their studies at the university..
The minister also informed about a 24×7 help desk to facilitate the safe return of Nepalese students to the institute.
NHRC Probe
The NHRC inquiry team, led by its Registrar (Law) Joginder Singh, has met senior police officers of the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack commissionerate. “We have met the NHRC team at the state guest house and given all pertinent information to them. A liaison officer has been specifically assigned to support and facilitate the ongoing investigation by the rights panel,” PTI reported, quoting Police Commissioner S Dev Datta Singh.
The team also spent nearly five hours on the varsity campus and interacted with the deceased girl’s friends, her hostel inmates and some officials of the KIIT, who allegedly misbehaved with the Nepalese students.
The commission has asked the team to submit its findings by March 10.
