Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], February 21 (ANI): Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University Additional Registrar Shyam Sundar Behura said on Thursday that the Nepali students have started returning and the university is connected to the parents. He said that university has been interacting with parents and they are all convinced and they will be sending their children to the university and termed it a 'continuous process.'

Speaking to ANI, Behura said, 'They (Nepali students) have started returning. We had a very dedicated control room set up and through which we are connected to the parents and they have already started coming from 18th evening and they've all reached both boys and girls have also arrived. Along with that, I think all action has been taken, what has been taken has been already intimated. And from yesterday also we are having video conferencing with the parents of the students which directly our vice chancellor is doing.'

'We had it yesterday. We had it today also, which is going on for 1.5 to 2 hours with the parents are directly interacting and at least and they are all convinced and they'll be sending their wards over here and because it's a continuous process, they are coming. We are taking all care of them, how they'll come, how they'll get settled. The classes have started. They all resumed the classes for now and everything is normal,' he added.

His remarks come as a third-year BTech student was found dead in her hostel room on February 16, 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.

Shyam Sundar Behura said that over 100 students have returned. He said, 'Students have already returned more than 100 and also they're in the process of that because they're all travelling today again from Kolkata, from Patna, they'll be reaching.'

Stressing that students have been holding no protest in the university, he said, 'Classes have already started. Even a few students have attended the placement drive day before yesterday, So it's all normalised now. There is no protest by the students. You can see that none of them are participating, and all of them have been taken care of in the hostel, their food, their transport, their academics is all being taken.'

He stated that protest might be taking place outside the university but not a single student from the university is part of the protest. He said that all actions have been taken and they have been made public.

'Yes, all the actions that have been taken, I think we have put it all public whatever actions has been taken, and all the compliance as far as the government of Odisha is concerned, we are complying and every support is being rendered by the university.'

When asked about the deployment of police, Shyam Sundar Behura said, 'Maybe police have been deployed asserting that maybe some people from outside will come because that is what exactly is happening. But as far as our students are concerned, there's nothing as such as protesters.'

KIIT University Additional Registrar said that there is no tense situation in the university and classes are going on. He stated that the priority of the university is that the Nepalese students should come back to the campus and they are doing their best to get them to campus.

'There is no tense position because as I said, all classes are going on in an academic institution where 40,000 students are studying. If academics is going on, that's normal. But again, having said that, our priority is that, and our concern is that everyone, all my Nepalese students should come back to the campus, and we are doing our best to get them on campus. So that time I think that will be the biggest moment when we have all of them back,' he said.

Earlier on February 19, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi urged Nepali students to return to the KIIT campus and resume their studies.

A statement released by Odisha Chief Minister's Office stated, 'Hon'ble Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi spoke with Nepali Counsellors Shri Sanjeeb Das Sharma and Navin Raj Adhikari, assuring them that justice will be served in the case of the deceased KIIT student, Prakriti. He also assured that peace and normalcy would be restored on the KIIT campus.'

'The CM urged Nepali students to return to campus and resume their studies. A discussion was held at the State Guest House with officials from Nepal, attended by Hon'ble Ministers Shri Mukesh Mahaling and Shri Suryabanshi Suraj, along with Chief Secretary Shri Manoj Ahuja, to ensure the restoration of normalcy at KIIT. Additionally, the Foreign Minister of Nepal Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba spoke with Shri Suryabanshi Suraj over the phone regarding the matter,' it added. (ANI)