KIIT University apologises, sacks 3 officials for misconduct during campus protests

Bhubaneswar: The Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) issued an official apology Tuesday, expressing regret over the alleged misconduct of its employees during protests following the reported suicide of a third-year BTech student from Nepal.

Also Read: KIIT student death case: Student wing of Nepali Congress party stages protest in Kathmandu

In response, KIIT suspended two hostel officials and a senior administrative officer from the International Relations Office (IRO) and launched an inquiry against them. Additionally, the university suspended three officials, terminated two security personnel, and issued a public apology.

KIIT also announced the establishment of a 24/7 control room to assist students. “The staff have been actively persuading students to return to the campus as soon as possible. We recognize that certain comments were made in the heat of the moment, and we apologize for any distress caused. We prioritize the safety and well-being of our students above all,” the university stated.

In a separate post on X, KIIT Vice-Chancellor Saranjit Singh issued a direct apology, saying, “We regret the way some of us behaved with the agitating students. We love our students and have never done them any disservice. The comments made by two of our officers were extremely irresponsible. Although they were made in their personal capacity in the heat of the moment, we do not support their actions. We have removed them from service, and they too have apologised. We also extend our apology to all students and the people of Nepal. We love them as much as we love the people of India and the world. Additionally, we are again appealing to our Nepali students to rejoin academic activities immediately.”

Despite the apology, tensions remain high, with students demanding stronger action. The Odisha government has condemned the incident, calling it a case of “physical assault and racial behaviour” against Nepali students.