The Higher Education Department of Odisha has launched a 24X7 dedicated helpdesk to assist students of KIIT University following the tragic incident involving a Nepali student. The helpdesk will ensure the safety and security of students affected by the incident, facilitating their safe return and protecting their academic interests.
“The Government in Higher Education Department has taken serious note of the recent unfortunate incident at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), a Deemed to be University, at Bhubaneswar, Odisha, a private institution, concerning the tragic death of a student and subsequent actions by the institution,” stated the government order.
“To facilitate the safety and security of students affected by the incident, their safe return and protection of their academic interest, the Higher Education Department hereby forms a 24*7 helpdesk,” the order further reads.
The helpdesk will be led by Kali Prasanna Mohapatra, Director of Higher Education, with Rajata Manasingh, Deputy Director, assisting him. Nine personnel will operate the helpdesk around the clock, offering support through four landline numbers and a WhatsApp number.
In the wake of the incident, Nepal Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba spoke with Odisha’s Higher Education Minister Surjya Narayan Patro, urging him to take action against those responsible for the death of the Nepali student.
“Today, I also spoke to Odisha’s Higher Education Minister Suryavanshi Suraj on the phone. I urged him to conduct a fair investigation into Lamsal’s death and take legal action against the culprits, as well as to provide a safe environment for Nepali students in colleges there. He informed me that the state of Odisha has taken this incident seriously and a high-level investigation committee has been formed to bring Prakriti to justice and take action against the culprits,” Deuba stated on X.
The third-year BTech student was found dead in her hostel room on February 16. Nepali students protested, claiming she was harassed by a fellow student, Advik Srivastava, and that the university failed to act on multiple complaints.
On February 17, Advik Srivastava was arrested and sent to judicial custody, according to the Police Commissionerate, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack.