Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Of Police on 20 February arrested five more staff of the KIIT University here on the charge of assaulting Nepalese students while they were vacating the hostel following a direction of the institute authorities.
With this, the number of people arrested in the KIIT fiasco increased to 11 including an engineering student, who was booked for allegedly abetting the suicide of a 20-year-old Nepalese woman in her hostel room on Sunday. Five of them got bail following their appearance before the court.
The Infocity Police Station in a statement said that the five accused persons, all employees of KIIT, were found in CCTV footage assaulting the students while they were vacating their hostel rooms on Monday between 11 AM to 12.20 PM.
“The KIIT staff suddenly arrived there and asked them to leave as soon as possible. Seeing that the students were a little late in vacating the hostel, the accused persons suddenly got angry and abused them in incomprehensible language, attacked them and beat them up. As a result, the students immediately fled from the place,” the statement said.
The police have registered two cases in connection with the suicide of the Nepalese girl student and the subsequent attack on the youths from the neighbouring country allegedly by the staff of KIIT.
Meanwhile, the high-level Fact Finding Committee led by ACS Home Satyabrata Sahu summoned KIIT founder Achyuta Samanta for his personal appearance before it on Friday.
The Higher Education Department, in a letter to Dr.Samanta on Thursday, said, “You are requested to appear before the high-level committee on 21.02.2025 at 6.30 pm at State Guest House to adduce evidence with adequate documentary evidence before the committee on the term of reference as stated in the office order.”
Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj said, “The high-level committee is empowered to summon anyone for the purpose of inquiry into the matter. The committee is functioning on the basis of law.”
Noting that the state government is committed to protecting the interest of students, the Minister said.
“The state government has also discussed with the officials of Nepal Embassy and apprised the students about the developments,” he said.
On the other hand, in a video message, KIIT Founder Dr.Samanta sought apology before the parents of the Nepali students studying in KIIT. He appealed the Nepali students to return to their campus and resume their study. He assured them all support and safe environment in the campus.