Orissa HC stays NHRC actions against KIIT over Nepalese student’s death

CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has stayed till the next date of hearing the proceedings of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) against the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) over a Nepalese student’s death in February. While hearing a petition by the KIIT, the single-judge bench of Justice Sanjeeb Kumar Panigrahi also ruled that no further actions could be taken against the private deemed to be university here till the court takes up the matter for further hearing on April 29.

The court also issued notices to all parties involved, including the NHRC , and directed them to submit their replies within three weeks.

The 20-year-old Nepalese woman’s body was recovered from her hostel room inside the KIIT campus on February 16 following which tension mounted and students from the Himalayan nation were assaulted and forcibly evicted after they staged protests.

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Nepal PM intervened

The incident had raised a nationwide outrage and the prime minister of Nepal also intervened in the matter. Finding gross negligence on the part of the KIIT authorities over the “suicide”, the NHRC on March 27 sought an action taken report from the Odisha government, UGC and the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) within four weeks.

In its petition, the KIIT argued that while the NHRC had taken suo motu cognisance of the student’s death on March 3, it proceeded to issue directions on March 27 without notifying or seeking a response from the institution.

The KIIT submitted that this move violated the principles of natural justice, as the institute was not allowed to present its side. The court, acknowledging the procedural lapse raised by the petitioner, in its order on Monday said that as an interim measure, directed that all further proceedings in the case, presently pending before the NHRC, shall remain stayed until the next date of listing of this matter.