Kathmandu [Nepal], February 24 (ANI): Nepal’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sent a written request to the Indian Human Rights Commission requesting to investigate death of Nepali student at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Odisha.
Issuing a press release the joint spokesperson Shyam Babu Kafle at the Nepal’s NHRC said, “The Commission has written to the National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRCI) in a letter dated 2081/11/7 requesting an early investigation into the incident of Nepali students studying at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, who were found dead in the hostel of Prakriti Lamsal University, demanding an investigation into the incident of beating and mistreatment of them.”
The NHRC urged the Indian Human Rights Commission to provide justice to the victim and mistreated students, ensure full safety to the students studying there, and hold the office-bearers to account with a fair investigation.
“As information is being received that Nepali students who were forced to leave the university due to the circumstances arising from the incident are still unable to return to the university in a fear-free environment, the Commission urges the Government of Nepal to take further diplomatic initiatives in this regard and create an environment where students can study,” the Nepali Human rights governing body stated.
The third-year B.Tech student was found dead in her hostel room on February 16, following which Nepali students staged a protest, alleging that a fellow student had harassed her and that the college had failed to act despite multiple complaints.
On 17 February, more than 500 Nepali students enrolled in the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) were forced to leave the campus in Bhubaneswar. The private institution in the state of Odisha, announced sine-die for all Nepali students sending bus-loads of Nepali students at Cuttack Railway Station, 30 Kilometers from the institute. Later in the evening, the institution retracted it’s decision and called back the students.
An accused student, identified by police as Advik Srivastava, was arrested on February 17 and sent to judicial custody the same day, according to a press statement by the Police Commissionerate of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack.
Meanwhile, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi held a telephonic discussion with Nepal’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Arzu Rana Deuba on February 22, regarding the KIIT University incident, assuring strict action against those responsible.He reaffirmed the Odisha government’s commitment to restoring students’ trust and ensuring their safety.
“Nepali students are like our own children. They will study here with full dignity and security,” the Chief Minister said. He emphasized that the state government is closely monitoring the situation and taking all necessary measures to rebuild students’ confidence.
He emphasized that the state government is closely monitoring the situation and taking all necessary measures to rebuild students’ confidence. Following the discussion, senior officials from the Nepal Embassy, Naveen Raj Adhikari and Sanjeev Sharma Das, met CM Majhi at Lok Seva Bhavan to further discuss the issue. (ANI)
