Nepali Student’s Death: KIIT University founder Achyuta Samanta and officials appear before high-level committee
The committee is investigating allegations that Nepalese students protesting the death of fellow student Prakriti Lamsal were assaulted and forcibly sent back to Nepal from Cuttack railway station
Bhubaneswar: An eight-member team from KIIT Deemed University appeared before a high-level committee of the Odisha government on Wednesday in connection with the death of a Nepali student, which has sparked unrest on campus.
According to the latest reports, the committee, chaired by Additional Chief Secretary (ACS-home) Satyabrata Sahoo, recorded statements from the eight university representatives, including its founder, Dr Achyuta Samanta.
The committee is investigating allegations that Nepalese students protesting the death of fellow student Prakriti Lamsal were assaulted and forcibly sent back to Nepal from Cuttack railway station.
Tensions erupted at KIIT Deemed University following the discovery of 20-year-old Prakriti Lamsal's body in her hostel room on Monday. Suspecting foul play, her fellow Nepalese students staged protests, demanding justice.
Video clips circulating on social media purportedly show university officials making “derogatory remarks” towards the protesting students and ordering them to leave the campus. Additionally, videos allegedly depict goons assaulting the demonstrators.
Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati on Friday demanded in the Odisha Legislative Assembly the arrest of KIIT founder and former Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Lok Sabha member Dr Achyuta Samanta. He also called for a judicial inquiry into the incident and the subsequent handling of student protests.
Speaking during an adjournment motion, Bahinipati criticised the inaction against Samanta and threatened to stage demonstrations if a judicial probe was not initiated.
"Why has no action been taken against Achyuta Samanta till now?" Bahinipati asked, questioning the delay in addressing allegations against university authorities. He also demanded an investigation into the employment of relatives of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) officers at KIIT University.
Additionally, Bahinipati sought a review of CCTV footage related to the case and questioned the university's decision to declare a sine-die exclusively for Nepali students.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Babu Singh on Friday raised questions about Dr Samanta’s financial growth, alleging that he amassed a fortune of approximately Rs 15,000 crore despite earning only Rs 800 per month as a teacher at Maharshi College in 1991.
Singh alleged that Samanta's ventures were financially supported through loans obtained during the Biju Patnaik government's tenure between 1990 and 1995, allegedly with backing from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
Accusing Samanta of unethical practices under the guise of education, Singh further alleged that he illegally encroached on tribal and forest lands without the required permissions from the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA).
“By wearing white clothes and portraying himself as a saint, he has encroached on the lands of poor people. How is he constructing massive buildings by converting forest lands?” Singh questioned.
Singh also accused Samanta of engaging in corrupt practices at Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), a sister institution of KIIT Deemed University. He demanded a thorough investigation into the alleged corruption and threatened to raise the issue in the State Assembly.
Meanwhile, BJD MLA Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo stated that the law should take its own course and that strict action should be taken against those found guilty.
“Will the government take steps to ensure such incidents are not repeated? We sought a response from the Minister, but no clear answer was provided,” Singh Deo said.
