Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], February 20 (ANI): The Higher Education Department on Wednesday opened a 24X7 dedicated helpdesk for the students of KIIT University and issued helpline numbers to ensure the safety and security of students affected by the incident, as well as their safe return and protection of their academic interests.

'The Government in Higher Education Department has taken serious note of the recent unfortunate incident at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), a Deemed to be University, at Bhubaneswar, Odisha, a private institution, concerning the tragic death of a student and subsequent actions by the institution,' the government order said.

'To facilitate the safety and security of students affected by the incident, their safe return and protection of their academic interest, the Higher Education Department hereby forms a 24*7 helpdesk,' the order further reads.

Kali Prasanna Mohapatra, Director, Higher Education, is the Nodal Officer of the help desk. Rajata Manasingh, Deputy Director, will assist him in this regard.

As per the order, the help desk will be manned by nine personnel, who will attend to the assignment round the clock. The help desk has four landline numbers and a WhatsApp number.

Meanwhile, Nepal Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba in a telephonic conversation with Odisha's Higher Education Minister Surjya Narayan Patro, urged him to act against those involved in the death of the Nepali student.

'Today, I also spoke to Odisha's Higher Education Minister Suryavanshi Suraj on the phone. I urged him to conduct a fair investigation into Lamsal's death and take legal action against the culprits, as well as to provide a safe environment for Nepali students in colleges there. He informed me that the state of Odisha has taken this incident seriously and a high-level investigation committee has been formed to bring Prakriti to justice and take action against the culprits,' Deuba stated in a post on X.

On February 16, the third-year BTech student was found dead in her hostel room, following which Nepali students staged a protest claiming that she was harassed by her fellow student and the college didn't act despite multiple complaints.An accused student, identified by police as Advik Srivastava, was arrested on February 17 and sent to judicial custody on the same day, as per a press statement by Police Commissionerate, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack.

On February 16, the third-year BTech student was found dead in her hostel room, following which Nepali students staged a protest claiming that she was harassed by her fellow student and the college didn't act despite multiple complaints. (ANI)