BHUBANESWAR: The state government on Tuesday constituted a high level fact finding committee to inquire into all aspects of the alleged suicide by a Nepali girl student in the KIIT campus here.
A press note issued by the information and public relations department said that appropriate legal action will follow based on the findings of the committee.
The state government has taken immediate cognisance of the matter and the institution where the incident took place has been placed under notice, it said and added that steps have been taken to arrest the security guards and suspend the erring officials of the university involved in mistreating the protesting students.
Reports of misconduct including the use of force against students by private individuals are being investigated and those responsible will be held accountable as per the law, the press note said and added that the government of Odisha remains committed to ensure the safety, dignity and well-being of every student.
The state government will take all necessary steps to ensure that justice is served swiftly and fairly, it added.
The committee headed by additional chief secretary in the home department Satyabrata Sahu includes principal secretary in the women and child development department Shubha Sarma and secretary in the higher education department Aravind Agrawal.
Meanwhile, legislators cutting across party lines on Tuesday expressed grief in the Assembly over the death of a Nepali student on the KIIT campus.
The members also condemned the alleged mistreatment of several other students from Nepal by the KIIT authorities.
The issue was raised during the zero by deputy chief whip of the opposition and BJD member Pratap Keshari Deb who said the girl's suicide and subsequent development brought shame to the state.
“The incident has brought down the name of Odisha at the international level,” he said and added that this was an outcome of the worsening of law and order situation in the state under the BJP government.
Congress legislature party leader Rama Chandra Kadam also expressed concern over the alleged mistreatment of the students from Nepal and described it as an unfortunate incident.
His party colleague Taraprasad Bahinipati demanded a judicial probe into the incident and threatened to stage a dharna in the well of the House if the government did not accept his demand.
However, BJP MLA Tankadhar Tripathy targeted the previous BJD government for patronising the founder of KIIT and former BJD MP Achyuta Samanta.
BJP MLA Babu Singh demanded arrest of Achyuta Samanta, the founder of KIIT. 'What has happened in KIIT is a shame for Odisha. Therefore, Samanta should be arrested,' the BJP lawmaker said, adding that the state has sustained a huge loss due to the "wrongdoings" of the private institute.