‘We have sought report from DGP, Chief secretary’: NHRC member Kanoongo on KIIT suicide case

NEW DELHI: National Human Rights Commission member Priyank Kanoongo has said that the NHRC has taken cognisance of the death of a Nepalese student at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar.

“In yesterday’s (May 1) incident, we have taken cognisance, issued a notice, and sought a report from the DGP and the chief secretary, which is to be submitted within 7 days. We will take further action after the report comes… If needed, our team will go there,” Kanoongo said.

Speaking on the previous incident where another girl student was found dead on the KIIT campus, Kanoongo said the university administration tried to suppress the issue.

“On March 27, we submitted a report – when we had this information of a Nepali girl committing suicide, our team went there and in the investigation, it came out that that student was sexually assaulted, pornographic content was filmed, and then she was blackmailed. When the girl complained to the college administration, instead of informing the police, the university administration tried to have a compromise and suppress the issue. Prima facie, the university administration was the culprit, so we asked the UGC to take strict action, as the environment was not conducive there,” he said.

#WATCH | Delhi | On a Nepali girl student found dead at KIIT University hostel, NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo says, “On March 27, we submitted a report – when we had this information of a Nepali girl committing suicide, our team went there and in the investigation – it came out… pic.twitter.com/OuWJzdjD5J

— ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2025

Meanwhile, Central Committee member of the Mool Pravah Akhil Bharat Nepali Ekta Samaja Committee, Giriraj, demanded a fair investigation into the case.

“They did not allow us to meet the parents of the deceased…We want justice, a fair investigation should be conducted, and action should be taken against those responsible,” Giriraj said.

Odisha Congress President Bhakta Charan Das on Friday demanded an investigation into the death of a Nepalese student at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar.

He said that there was a need to investigate the reason behind suicide, and preventive measures must be ensured, given that it was the second case of a student dying by suicide.

“This is the second case. The reasons behind suicide should be found out. Preventive measures need to be taken. An inquiry needs to be conducted. Without investigating the reason behind suicide, it was wrong to comment on the issue. However, there is something to it. There must be conversations among students around this to prevent such incidents further,” Das said.

Amid chaos over the death of a student, KIIT expressed grief over the demise of a student from Nepal, who was found dead inside her hostel room. (ANI)