BHUBANESWAR: Amid massive public outcry over the forced eviction of Nepali students for protesting against the suicide of a fellow student, police on Tuesday arrested three senior officials and two security guards of KIIT University.
As diplomatic interventions continued on the day to ensure safe return of the students to the university campus, the Education Ministry of Nepal said it would be constrained to issue no objection certificates (NOC) to those wishing to study in Odisha unless the current situation is not resolved in a “justifiable and legal way.”
Nepal Embassy in India said its ambassador Shankar P Sharma had a telephonic conversation with KIIT University founder Achyuta Samanta and also met his representatives at New Delhi. Samanta briefed Sharma about the actions taken by KIIT, including a public apology from the vice-chancellor and termination of staff, read the Nepal Embassy’s post on X.
The Foreign Affairs Minister of Nepal Arzu Rana Deoba also held telephonic discussions with KIIT representatives. The university assured that it will bear the travel expenses of students who had reached Nepal and make arrangements for re-examination of students missing out on the tests.
On a day when the state government constituted a high-level committee to investigate into the matter, university’s director general of human resources Sibananda Mishra, director, administration Pratap Chamupaty and director of hostels Sudhir Kumar Rath were held along with two security guards - Ramakanta Nayak and Jogendra Behera by Infocity police.
Earlier in the day, the university suspended an administrative officer of international relations office and two hostel officials while terminating two security staff. As tension continued to run high, the KIIT University issued a public apology to mollify the situation.
“We are extremely appalled by the untoward incident that took place in our campus on February 16. We are also regretful of the way some of us behaved with the agitating students. We love our students and had never done any disservice to them.
The comments made by two of our officers are extremely irresponsible. Although the comments were made on their personal capacity and on the spur of the moment, we do not support their action,” said KIIT University’s vice-chancellor Saranjit Singh.
Appealing Nepali students to join the regular academics with immediate effect, the statement said KIIT has love and affection for all the students and people of Nepal. “We love them as much as we love the people of India and the world,” it said.
Meanwhile, the victim’s father told mediapersons that he has full faith in the state government and its police to deliver justice. Protest continued in front of the university on the day even as police kept a watch. The 20-year-old victim, a third year B.Tech student, allegedly died by suicide after being harassed by her male friend, of the same batch. The accused has been arrested.
Meanwhile, all the five employees were granted bail by a local court in the evening.