Odisha Higher Education Department on Wednesday announced the opening of a 24×7 help desk to ensure the safe return of the students of Nepal who left the campus and the welfare of other Nepali students who are currently staying at the KIIT Deemed University in Bhubaneswar.
The Higher Education Department also released four phone numbers (0674-2396550, 0674-2323401, 0674-2323402, 0674-2323403) and one Whatsapp number (9124620605) on which the students can contact the department officials seeking help.
“To facilitate the safety and security of students affected by the incident, their safe return and protection of their academic interest, the Higher Education Department hereby forms a 24×7 helpdesk,” reads the order issued by the Higher Education Department.
The office order further mentioned that Kali Prasanna Mohapatra, Director, Higher Education will function as the Nodal Officer of the help desk while Deputy Director Rajata Manasingh, will assist him in this regard. The Help Desk will be manned with nine staffers who will remain available round the clock.
“The help desk will start functioning with immediate effect. The Help Desk will also reach out to students and facilitate their early return or any other issue relating to their personal well-being. All affected students and parents are requested to reach out to the Help Desk for early return to the Institution for their academic pursuit,” the order further added.
The department in a press statement revealed that it will engage counsellors to restore the confidence of the students.
It further added the department will be in touch with students to help bring back the students who have left the campus and those who are staying in the Campus will be made to feel safe and comfortable by assuaging their concerns from time to time. The department assured to make efforts to protect their academic interest.
The three-member high-level Committee formed to conduct a thorough inquiry into the unfortunate incident at the KIIT University involving the Nepali students on Wednesday visited the University campus and hada detailed discussion with the students of Nepal who are there in the Hostel, as well as the authorities of the University. The Committee also visited various places of the campus related to the incident.
“The Committee will have detailed investigations into the unfortunate incident where the University called a Sine Die for the students of Nepal leading to their forceful expulsion from the campus. Steps taken by the authorities to bring them back safely and also to ensure the safety of the students who are still on campus,” the department added.
Notably, the deceased Prakriti Lamsal, a third-year BTech (Computer Science) student of the KIIT University ended her life on Sunday following constant harassment by her estranged boyfriend Advik Shrivastava, a student of B.Tech (Mechanical). Police arrested the accused from Bhubaneswar Airport while he was trying to flee the city on Monday.
Meanwhile, the students who staged a protest demanding justice for the deceased were asked to leave the campus. The authorities of the private university forcefully evicted the students from the campus and also allegedly assaulted them on Monday.
The university after drawing flak from all the corners later issued an apology letter over the incident and urged the students to return to the campus. Two senior hostel officials and one senior administrative officer of the International Relations Office have also been suspended pending enquiry.
