5 KIIT staff held as Nepal ups ante over student death

AMID massive public outcry over the forced eviction of Nepali students for protesting against the suicide of a fellow student, police on Tuesday arrested three senior officials and two security guards of KIIT University here.

- ASISH MEHTA @Bhubaneswar

As diplomatic interventions continued on the day to ensure safe return of the students to the university campus, the Education Ministry of Nepal said it would be constrained to issue no objection certificates (NOC) to those wishing to study in Odisha unless the current situation is resolved in a "justifiable and legal way."

Nepal Embassy in India said its ambassador Shankar P Sharma had a telephonic conversation with KIIT University founder Achyuta Samanta and also met his representatives at New Delhi. Samanta briefed Sharma about the actions taken by KIIT, including a public apology from the vice-chancellor and termination of staff, read the Nepal Embassy's post on X.