The Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, on Tuesday apologised for its staff’s behaviour towards Nepali students who were protesting against the death of a 20-year female student, who was allegedly harassed in a hostel on the campus.
Its management suspended three employees and removed two security personnel in its attempt to defuse what has become an international incident, reported the Hindustan Times.
Tensions rose on the campus in Bhubaneswar after a third-year student from Nepal was found dead in her hostel room on Sunday evening. The 20-year-old computer science student allegedly died by suicide after being harassed by a 21-year-old male student, authorities said.
Police later arrested the male student – the son of a civil engineer in Lucknow – and lodged a case against him for allegedly abetting the suicide. He was sent to 14 days’ judicial custody.
However, the controversy escalated after university authorities cracked down on protesting Nepali students and closed the hostel for them, effectively asking them to leave.
Videos circulating on social media showed one professor saying that the university provides free meals to 40,000 students, which is more than Nepal’s GDP, and another comparing KIIT’s spending on students to be bigger than Nepal’s national budget.
Some students also alleged that security personnel beat them up and threw them out of the hostel, prompting Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to intervene on Monday.
Police said the accused abetted the suicide of the female student.
“We are waiting for the post-mortem report,” said Bhubaneswar Deputy Commissioner of Police Pinak Mishra.
“Two cases have been lodged on charges of abetment of suicide and alleged manhandling of students. The cases are under investigation.”
An audio clip went viral on social media in which the accused could purportedly be heard abusing and making derogatory comments about the victim and her mother.
The father of the victim, who arrived in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday, confirmed the allegations of harassment and said her daughter was harassed and emotionally blackmailed by her fellow student.
“My daughter is no more, but I pray no other Nepali student faces such a fate. Other national and international students are continuing their studies at the university. No such incidents should ever be heard in the future,” he said.
“I hope justice prevails. We have full faith and confidence in the government and police administration here,” he said.
In connection with the protest, police arrested five people, including the university’s director general and director of administration, but they were released later in the day.
The university said it suspended Ms Jayanti Nath, the director of the girl’s hostel, and associate professor of computer science Manjusha Pandey over their unsavoury comments on Nepal.
The senior administrative officer of the international relations office, who allegedly did not take any action against the accused despite a complaint by the female student five weeks ago, was also suspended.
A statement signed by the school’s vice-chancellor Saranjit Singh read: “We are extremely appalled by the untoward incident on our campus on the evening of Feb 16. We are also regretful of the way some of us behaved towards the agitating students. The comments made by two of our officers are extremely irresponsible. We have removed them from service.
“We, too, apologise for all that has happened and hereby tender our love and affection to all the students and people of Nepal.”
A separate statement signed by registrar J.R. Mohanty said police have apprehended the accused. “The KIIT administration has taken all-out efforts to restore normalcy in the campus and hostels to resume academic activities. An appeal is made to all our Nepali students who have or planned to leave the campus to resume the classes,” said Mr Mohanty.
A third statement issued by the Indian Embassy in Nepal said that two security personnel – Ramakanta Nayak and Jogendra Behera – were removed from service and arrested by Odisha Police.
