KIIT Founder Achyuta Samanta Faces Inquiry Over Alleged Suicide of Nepalese Student

Achyuta Samanta, founder of KIIT, and other senior officials from the private engineering college provided their statements to a government committee. This was in response to the alleged suicide of a Nepalese student in her hostel and subsequent attacks on students from Nepal. The incident also caused uproar in the Assembly, with opposition members walking out after the government did not agree to a judicial inquiry.

The high-level committee, led by Additional Chief Secretary Home Satyabrata Sahu, questioned Samanta for about two hours at the state guest house. Other officials, including the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, Dean, and two suspended women officials, also appeared before the panel. Samanta had previously apologised to the parents of Nepalese students for the incident.

Inquiry into Student's Death and Alleged Harassment

The three-member inquiry committee included secretaries from higher education and Women & Child Development departments. They investigated how the 20-year-old third-year engineering student died by suicide on February 16 and whether she had reported any harassment to university authorities. The panel also examined why only Nepalese students were affected by the university's closure and why they faced eviction and assault.

Samanta did not address the media and attended the committee meeting under tight security. Jayanti Nath, one of the suspended officials accused of making derogatory remarks about Nepal, stated: "You media have heard half of the story. Let the truth prevail. We will tell details before the committee." Other officials remained silent.

Assembly Debates and Government Response

The Odisha Assembly discussed the student's death and related events at KIIT. Opposition members walked out when Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj did not commit to a judicial inquiry. The minister assured that action would follow based on investigation findings. He mentioned that police were examining criminal aspects while a state committee looked into administrative lapses.

All major parties condemned the incident, acknowledging it brought disgrace to Odisha and India. The minister described the treatment of Nepalese students as barbaric and promised strict action against those responsible for both the suicide and harassment. He dismissed claims that government pressure delayed action or that the accused had ties to BJP.

Arrest and Clarifications

A 21-year-old KIIT student from Lucknow was arrested for abetment to suicide. Allegations surfaced that his father had a photo with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, suggesting BJP influence in Odisha's handling of the case. A media fact-check revealed this was incorrect; the person in the photo had a 16-year-old son not linked to KIIT.

The minister stated both Odisha's Chief Minister and central government took the matter seriously. He assured that India-Nepal relations would remain unaffected due to prompt state actions. Nepalese officials appreciated Odisha’s response, including their Foreign Affairs Minister.

Support for Nepalese Students

The state government pledged to cover travel expenses for Nepalese students and arrange remedial classes for missed studies. If needed, mid-semester exams might be rescheduled. The government promised to ensure no future reprisals against Nepalese students at KIIT.