Three directors from KIIT University in Bhubaneswar, along with two security guards, were granted bail on Tuesday by the Judicial Magistrate First Class-2 (JMFC-2) court. The bail was granted upon the posting of a surety and a bond of Rs 20,000.
Earlier in the day, the Commissionerate Police – Bhubaneswar arrested the five individuals in connection with ongoing student unrest at KIIT University following the suspicious death of a Nepali student on February 16.
The arrested KIIT employees were Sibananda Mishra, aged 59 years, working as Director General (Human Resources); Pratap Kumar Champaty, aged 51 years, working as Director (Admn); Sudhir Kumar Rath, age 59 years, working as Director (Hostels); Ramakanta Nayak (45), working as security guard in KIIT University; Jogendra Behera (25), working as a security guard at KIIT University.
State Government Forms High-Level Committee to Investigate Student’s Death
The Odisha state government has established a high-level committee to investigate the death of 19-year-old Nepalese engineering student Prakriti Lamsa, who died on Sunday night at KIIT University. This incident has also led to the expulsion of Nepalese students from the campus.
The committee will be chaired by an Additional Chief Secretary and will include the Secretary of the Home Department, the Secretary of the Women & Child Development Department, and the Secretary of the Higher Education Department.
Higher Education Minister Surjyabanshi Suraj informed the media about the formation of the committee. He stated that an investigation has been initiated into the actions of the security personnel involved in the incident and that those found guilty will face legal consequences. The government is committed to ensuring the safety and dignity of all students and will take necessary measures to deliver justice.
Minister Suraj further noted that an investigation was conducted earlier in the day under the chairmanship of the Additional Chief Secretary, with senior officials from various departments in attendance. Some facts emerged during this investigation that warrant further examination.
The investigation will also seek to understand the reasons behind the expulsion of the Nepalese students from the KIIT campus and the manner in which this decision was announced. It has been highlighted that the education and home departments were not informed in advance by the KIIT authorities.
Minister Suraj also mentioned that the state government is working to restore normalcy to the situation. Currently, 100 students remain on the KIIT campus, and efforts are ongoing to bring back approximately 1,000 students. The government has instructed the university to prioritise the mental well-being and confidence of the students, and university authorities have been advised against taking any retaliatory actions against students upon their return to campus.
In another update, the post-mortem of the deceased student has been completed at AIIMS, with the Bhubaneswar district magistrate in attendance. The student’s father and brother were also present. The body is scheduled to be sent to Nepal by air tomorrow.
Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and Bajrang Dal Protest Over KIIT University Incident
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) organised protests across various regions of the state in response to the incident at KIIT University. ABVP members demonstrated in Sambalpur and Balasore, calling for strict action against the university and those responsible.
ଏବିଭିପି ସମ୍ବଲପୁର ତରଫରୁ #KIITUniversity ରେ ଘଟିଥିବା ଛାତ୍ରୀମୃତ୍ୟୁ ମାମଲା ଏବଂ ନେପାଳର ଛାତ୍ରଛାତ୍ରୀଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତି ଅମାନୁଷିକ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟକଳାପ ବିରୁଦ୍ଧରେ ଓଡ଼ିଶା (ପଶ୍ଚିମ) ପ୍ରାନ୍ତ ସମ୍ପାଦକ @SwetansuBarai ଙ୍କ ଉପସ୍ଥିତିରେ ବିକ୍ଷୋଭ ସହ କିଟ୍ ପ୍ରତିଷ୍ଠାତା ଅଚ୍ୟୁତ ସାମନ୍ତଙ୍କ କୁଶପୁତ୍ତଳିକା ଦାହ କରାଯାଇଛି।#ABVPOdisha pic.twitter.com/vaLn1fesu0
— ABVP Odisha (@abvpodisha) February 18, 2025
Simultaneously, the Bajrang Dal staged a protest today at Master Canteen Chowk in Bhubaneswar concerning the same issue. The activists demanded accountability for the culprits and burned an effigy of the founder of KIIT, Achyut Samanta.
ଏବିଭିପି ବାଲେଶ୍ୱର ତରଫରୁ ଫକୀର ମୋହନ ସ୍ଵୟଂଶାସିତ ମହାବିଦ୍ୟାଳୟ ରେ କିଟ୍ ବିଶ୍ୱବିଦ୍ୟାଳୟରେ ଘଟିଥିବା ଛାତ୍ରୀମୃତ୍ୟୁ ଏବଂ ନେପାଳର ଛାତ୍ରଛାତ୍ରୀଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତି ଅମାନୁଷିକ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟକଳାପ ବିରୁଦ୍ଧରେରେ ବିକ୍ଷୋଭ ସହ କିଟ୍ ର ପ୍ରତିଷ୍ଠାତା ତଥା ମୁଖ୍ୟ ଅଚ୍ୟୁତ ସାମନ୍ତଙ୍କ କୁଶପୁତ୍ତଳିକା ଦାହ କରାଯାଇଛି।#ABVPOdisha #KIITUniversity pic.twitter.com/6w3az3JAJE
— ABVP Odisha (@abvpodisha) February 18, 2025
