Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissioner Suresh Dev Datta Singh stated that normalcy has been maintained on the KIIT college campus, with classes continuing as usual. He also urged Nepali students who had left the campus to return.
He further informed that the police have registered a case under charges of abetment, harassment, and incitement to suicide.
“Everything is normal here, and classes are ongoing. We have engaged in discussions with Nepali students. Those who left have been encouraged to return. The Nepal delegation is also in contact with them, and they are expected to come back in due course,” the Commissioner told reporters.
The accused was arrested a few days ago, and the police have requested a three-day remand.
“A suicide case was reported to us, and the identified individual has been arrested and is currently in judicial custody. We have sought a three-day remand. The case has been registered under abetment, harassment, and incitement to suicide,” he added.
Earlier, Additional Chief Secretary Satyabrata Sahu mentioned that state officials had engaged in discussions with the Nepali delegation.
“As per the state government’s directive, we visited the university campus, including the hostel, and are assessing other areas as well. We will submit our report to the government accordingly. Discussions were also held with the Nepal delegation. The state government is fully committed to taking action as per the law,” Additional CS Sahu told reporters.
On February 16, a third-year BTech student was found dead in her hostel room, prompting Nepali students to stage protests, alleging that she had been harassed by a fellow student and that the college had failed to act despite multiple complaints.
The accused, identified as Advik Srivastava, was arrested on February 17 and immediately placed in judicial custody, according to the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissionerate.
In response to the incident, the Odisha government’s Higher Education Department has set up a 24×7 dedicated helpdesk for KIIT University students and issued helpline numbers to ensure their safety and well-being.
