KIIT University row: Action will be taken based on high-level committee probe, says Odisha Minister

There seems to be no let up in the controversy surrounding the death of a Nepali girl in the  hostel of Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar and the subsequent mistreatment of students.

The State Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj on Saturday said that the high-level committee constituted by the Odisha government has recorded statements of the KIIT university officials who appeared before it yesterday (February 21).

KIIT University founder and former BJD MP, Achyuta Samanta was grilled for two and a half hours by the committee. Seven other senior university officials presented their statements alongside Samanta before the three-member committee.

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The three-member inquiry committee, led by additional chief secretary (Home) Satyabrata Sahu, is entrusted with the responsibility of examining the circumstances leading to the girl student’s  suicide on February 16 in KIIT hostel.

Investigation and Arrests:

So far, 10 persons have been arrested in connection with the incident and further investigation by police is also underway, informed the Minister.

The Odisha government was quick to act, summoning individuals connected to the case. A high-level committee is diligently conducting hearings and documenting all relevant information concerning the incident. The Higher Education Minister has assured the public that actions will be taken based on the findings of these investigations.

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Meanwhile, the law enforcement agencies continue their rigorous investigations, supplemented by ongoing forensic examinations to unravel further details of the tragedy.

Forensic Techniques Utilised

In a significant development, the Minister has highlighted the use of voice spectrography, a forensic technique, to analyse a viral video connected to the case. This method involves examining voice recordings to ascertain identities or facts central to the investigation.