Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Odisha, India, has agreed to reinstate Nepali students with respectful treatment following a tripartite discussion between officials from the Nepali Embassy in New Delhi, representatives of the Nepali students, and the college management.
The agreement stipulates that KIIT will bear the expenses incurred by the Nepali students who were forcibly evicted from the hostel upon their return to the college. The college has also stated that it will contact and invite the families and guardians of each student.
The discussion, held on Tuesday involved Sanjeev Sharma Das, Police Counselor at the Nepali Embassy in New Delhi, Achyuta Samanta, the college founder, and student representatives. Counselor Das informed Nepalkhabar that the college agreed to fulfill the demands put forth by the students.
The students' demands included the right to peaceful residence in the hostels, coverage of travel expenses for students who had returned home, respectful treatment on campus, and guaranteed security.
Prior to the agreement, Foreign Minister Dr Arzu Rana Deuba had also spoken with college founder Samanta by telephone, urging him to address the concerns of the Nepali students with seriousness. Samanta apologized for the incident, and pledged to meet the students' demands.
This development follows the death of Nepali student Prakriti Lamsal in a KIIT hostel in Odisha. Following her death, the college management allegedly treated Nepali students unjustly, forcibly evicting them from the hostel and reportedly subjecting them to beatings and inhumane treatment.
Lamsal's body is expected to be repatriated to Nepal on Wednesday.
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