A day after Nepali student’s death, allegedly by suicide, at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) here and forcible evacuation of students of the neighbouring country threatened to trigger a diplomatic row, a visibly embarrassed Odisha government constituted a high-level inquiry/fact-finding committee to probe the incident, which it described as the ‘most unfortunate’.

It’s the most unfortunate incident that has given the state a bad name. The students from the Himalayan kingdom are our guests and they ought to have been treated with dignity. The government has taken the matter with utmost seriousness and all those responsible for besmirching State’s reputation will be taken to task, State’s Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj told reporters here on Tuesday as the BJP-led Government faced widespread condemnation from the Opposition on the floors of the Assembly.

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A three-member probe panel comprising senior bureaucrats to ascertain the circumstances of the incident has been constituted, the Minister said, reiterating that the government is committed to ensuring safety, dignity, and well-being of every student regardless of his nationality.

It’s pertinent to note here that a Nepali girl student, Prakriti Lamsal, a B Tech in computer science student, was found dead in her hostel on the KIIT campus in Bhubaneswar. Her death under mysterious circumstances sparked unrest at the campus yesterday as Nepal students resorted to block the road near the KIIT campus in protest against what they alleged was inaction on part of the varsity authorities on the deceased‘s harassment complaint against a classmate.

The visuals of the students of Nepal being forcibly evacuated from the college hostel and being manhandled later went viral on social media platforms, drawing outrage from several quarters including Nepal PM and diplomats of the neighbouring country. What provided fodder to the controversy is that around 500 Nepali students, after being meted out ill-treatment, were dropped at the Cuttack railway station with the strict instruction to leave for home and were left to fend themselves.

“In light of the recent unfortunate incident relating to KIIT University, the government of Odisha has taken immediate cognizance of the matter and taken steps to arrest security guards and suspension of erring officials involved”, the Government said in a statement on Tuesday. The institution has been placed under notice, and appropriate legal and administrative action shall follow based on the findings of the High Level Fact Finding Committee constituted by the Government.

The Committee consists of Addl. Chief Secretary, Home Department, Principal Secretary, Women & Child Development Department and Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Higher Education Department as Members. Reports of misconduct including the use of force against students by private individuals are being investigated into, and those responsible, shall be held accountable as per the law, it added. The Odisha government remains committed to ensuring the safety, dignity, and well-being of every student. It will take all necessary steps to ensure that justice is served swiftly and fairly, the statement concluded.

Meanwhile, the unsavory turn of events at the KIIT echoed in the Odisha Assembly with the Opposition parties expressing deep concern over the incident stating that Nepali student’s tragic death at KIIT University has drawn negative attention to Odisha globally. The Nepal PM has expressed deep shock over the events. India has close ties with Nepal. Odisha has also close bonding with Nepal for Lord Jagannath. An incident of this nature is highly condemnable. It has ashamed Odisha globally and nationally also, Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati said demanding a judicial inquiry into it.