KIIT founder apologises to parents of Nepalese students after Odisha govt summons, urges them to return |WATCH

Days after the suicide of an engineering student from Nepal and subsequent protests, outrage over the incident, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) founder Achyuta Samanta on Thursday tendered an apology to the parents of the Nepalese pupils and urged all those vacated the campus to come back.

The KIIT founder's apology came after the Odisha govt panel summoned him to appear before its three-member investigative committee on Friday.

"You are requested to appear before the committee on February 21, 2025, at 6.30 pm at the mini-conference hall, new annexe building, State Guest House, Bhubaneswar, and to adduce evidence with adequate documentary evidence before the committee," stated the notice from the state higher education department.

The panel had been formed to probe alleged use of force on Nepalese students and their 'forced eviction' for demanding justice following the death of a second-year BTech student from the neighbouring country over alleged harassment by a batchmate.

KIIT founder apologises to parents of Nepalese students

The video of Samanta's first public statement on the incident was posted on KIIT's handle on X (formerly Twitter), hours after he was summoned by the Odisha government's high-level committee.

Sitting in a gathering of students and two Nepal Embassy officials, Samanta said, "We all are very sorry and saddened over the unfortunate incident that happened on February 16 night. I am also personally feeling sad. We have taken action against some people."

"Your university is running calm and quiet and students are attending classes. We all are happy. A few students from Nepal who are in KIIT are also attending the classes. So, I humbly advise all the KIIT students from Nepal please join your own university and attend classes," he added.

Also read: Nepal Foreign Min says KIIT issue being resolved through diplomatic means, calls for fair probe into death

"I want to assure you there will be no harm, regarding academics, campus placement or discipline. I beg apology before the parents of Nepalese students studying at KIIT. We have already taken action against those responsible. Police too have taken action. I urge you all to come back and resume your classes. I assure you that there will not be any harm to you, academically, disciplinary or during campus job placement drive. My lovable KIITians please come back soon, we are all interested to see you," he said.

Meanwhile, speaking to news agency ANI, the Additional Registrar of KIIT University, Dr Shyam Sundar Behura, said that students from Nepal have started returning, and a dedicated control room has been set up through which we are connected to the parents.

"They (students from Nepal) have started returning. A dedicated control room has been set up through which we are connected to the parents...We are having video conferencing with the parents of the students...They are convinced and they are sending their wards over here... We have also started the classes and everything is normal," Behura said.

On February 16, the third-year BTech student was found dead in her hostel room, following which Nepali students staged a protest claiming that she was harassed by a fellow student and the college didn't act despite multiple complaints.

The accused was arrested by police on February 17 and sent to judicial custody on the same day.

On December 17, more than 500 Nepali students enrolled in the KIIT were asked to leave the campus in Bhubaneswar. In the evening, the institution retracted its decision and called back the students.

Also read: ‘Failure of marriage not end of life, move on’, Supreme Court tells young couple