New Delhi [India], March 4 : The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has initiated a probe into the death of a Nepali student at KIIT University in Odisha following allegations of assault on protesting students. NHRC Member Priyank Kanoongo said that a team has been formed to investigate the matter and will submit its report before March 10.
Speaking to ANI, Kanoongo said, "We received a complaint from an organisation, Kalinga Rights Forum. In the complaint, it was mentioned that a student from Nepal had died allegedly by suicide. We don't yet know if it is a suicide."
"The complainant also told us that enraged Nepali students who wanted to raise their voices against this were beaten up...we have formed a team and it will go to the University and conduct probe. Before 10th (March), they will submit the report...," he told ANI.
Earlier, Nepal's National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) sent a written request to the Indian Human Rights Commission requesting to investigate the death of a Nepali student at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Odisha.
Issuing a press release the joint spokesperson Shyam Babu Kafle at the Nepal's NHRC said, "The Commission has written to the National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRCI) in a letter dated 2081/11/7 requesting an early investigation into the incident of Nepali students studying at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, who were found dead in the hostel of Prakriti Lamsal University, demanding an investigation into the incident of beating and mistreatment of them."
The NHRC urged the Indian Human Rights Commission to provide justice to the victim and mistreated students, ensure full safety to the students studying there, and hold the office-bearers to account with a fair investigation.
"As information is being received that Nepali students who were forced to leave the university due to the circumstances arising from the incident are still unable to return to the university in a fear-free environment, the Commission urges the Government of Nepal to take further diplomatic initiatives in this regard and create an environment where students can study," the Nepali Human rights governing body stated.
The third-year B.Tech student was found dead in her hostel room on February 16, following which Nepali students staged a protest, alleging that a fellow student had harassed her and that the college had failed to act despite multiple complaints.