Page 12 - Odisha

Nepal student death in KIIT: NHRC seeks report from Odisha govt, UGC, NAAC

Finding gross negligence on the part of the authorities over the suicide of a 20-year-old B.Tech student from Nepal at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) here, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought an action taken report from the Odisha government, UGC and NAAC within four weeks. The NHRC, which had sent a team to undertake an on-the-spot probe into the death of Nepalese student Prakriti Lamsal, on March 27 uploaded the case status on its website and stated that the rights panel has sought a report from Odisha's chief secretary, collector and district magistrate of Khurda district, commissioner of police, and chairpersons of the University Grants Commission (UGC) and National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). The Nepalese woman's body was recovered from her hostel room on 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. The .

Odisha govt clears ₹1.65 trn investment proposals, to create 50K jobs

The Odisha government on Thursday approved 10 investment proposals, including those of Vedanta Ltd and JSW Steel, worth over Rs 1.65 lakh crore, having the potential to create over 50,000 jobs, a statement said. The approvals were given at a meeting of the High-Level Clearance Authority (HLCA), chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. Among the projects for which approval was given was Vedanta Ltd's two projects in the Rayagada district. The mining major will invest Rs 50,537 crore for setting up a 6-mtpa alumina refinery, and Rs 40,991 crore for a greenfield 1.2-mtpa aluminium smelter. The HLCA approved JSW Steel Ltd's Rs 35,000 crore investment proposal for a 5-mtpa integrated steel plant in Keonjhar. It also approved Shyam Steel's 1.5-mtpa integrated steel plant worth Rs 5,200 crore in Bhadrak. Approval was also given to OCL Iron and Steel Ltd's Rs 3,000-crore integrated steel plant, which has a capacity of 1.2 mtpa, in Keonjhar. Orissa Thermal Energy Ltd's 2,400-mw (3 x

New wild ginger species discovered in Odisha's Similipal Biosphere Reserve

Researchers from Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University in Odisha's Baripada have claimed to have discovered a new species of wild ginger from Similipal Biosphere Reserve (SBR) in Mayurbhanj district, officials said. The discovery was made by Dr. Sudam Charan Sahu, assistant professor of Botany, and Sifan Priyadarshini, Ph.D research scholar of Botany, who have been studying and exploring the diversity of the Zingiberaceae family in Odisha for the past three years, the varsity said in a statement on Wednesday. According to researchers, the new species was discovered in August 2024 from the semi-evergreen forest at Kulipala, SBR. "After a detailed observation of its unique morphological characteristics, it was confirmed as a new species," said Sahu, adding that the research paper has been published in the international journal 'Phytotaxa'. They said the new species, 'Zingiber jagannathii Sahu & Priyadarshini,' has been named in honour of 'Lord Jagannath.' This new species ..

President Murmu visits Shree Nilamadhav temple in Odisha's Nayagarh

President Droupadi Murmu on Monday offered prayers at Shree Nilamadhav Temple in Odisha's Nayagarh district. She was accompanied by Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. The temple is located at Kantilo on the banks of Mahanadi. "The President offered 'aarti'. She was happy to pray at the famous Lord Vishnu temple," the priest said, adding that this marks the first-ever visit of a sitting President to the shrine in independent India. The temple is situated near two hills and is surrounded by dense forests. In ancient times, Shree Nilamadhav was worshipped by the Sabar tribe. Today, a shrine dedicated to Shree Nilamadhav is also located to the right of the Maha Lakshmi temple within the Puri temple complex. According to Bhaskar Mishra, a researcher in Shree Jagannath culture, it is believed that Lord Vishnu was originally worshipped as Shree Nilamadhav before the idol of Lord Jagannath was created and installed at the Puri temple. Earlier in the day

Odisha reports 3 child marriages daily, Nabarangpur dist leads: Govt data

Odisha has reported at least three such cases every day during the last six years, despite several initiatives taken by the administration, according to government data. Activists working in this field attribute tribal practice, dowry, migration of labourer families and parents' fear that daughters may elope to this startling figure. The data reveals that 8,159 child marriages have taken place across Odisha from 2019 to February 2025. Of them, 1,347 cases have been reported from Nabarangpur, the highest among all 30 districts of Odisha during that period. While Ganjam district is in the second spot with 966 cases, Koraput comes next with 636. It was followed by Mayurbhanj (594), Rayagada (408), Balasore (361), Keonjhar (328), Kandhamal (308) and Nayagarh (308). The lowest of 57 such instances have been found in Jharsuguda district in those six years. Social activist Namrata Chadha said, Child marriage cannot be fully stopped overnight. We have to create such an environment and soc

JSW to set up 0.5 MMT capacity copper smelter in Odisha by 2028-29

In January, JSW said it was foraying into the copper business with a Rs 2,600 crore ($301.22 million) investment to operate two copper mines from Hindustan Copper for a period of 20 years

Three killed in clash over suspected witchcraft in Odisha's Ganjam

At least three persons were killed and three others seriously injured in the clash between two groups over suspected witchcraft practice in Odisha's Ganjam district on Tuesday, police said. The clash took place at Kharipalli village under. The clash broke out due to the suspected witchcraft in the village, police said. The deceased were identified as Khadal Behera (70), his son Ratnakar Behera (35) and Ramesh Behera (40), they said. The injured persons were first admitted to Dharakote hospital and later referred to MKCG Medical College and Hospital here. Their condition was stated to be serious, hospital sources said Senior police officers along with additional forces have rushed to the spot. "Though the situation in the village was tense, but under control after the arrival of the police forces," said SP (Ganjam) Subhendu Kumar Patra. Forces along with police officers were camping in the village, the SP said. Though the exact reason for the incident was not known immediately, ..

Dharmendra Pradhan's father, Ex-Union minister Debendra Pradhan dies at 84

Veteran BJP leader Debendra Pradhan, who was a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, died on Monday, officials said. He was 84, and survived by his son Dharmendra Pradhan, the Union education minister. Pradhan, the former Odisha BJP president, breathed his last in New Delhi. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said he was a popular public leader and an able parliamentarian. "He had discharged his duties as the Union Minister for Transport and Agriculture from 1999 to 2001 with efficiency. As a public representative and MP, he had become the object of the common people's affection by doing many welfare works," Majhi said. "He dedicated his entire life for the development of the state with a spirit of service and determination," he added. Majhi said the country and the state lost a distinguished public servant. The CM also spoke to his son and expressed his condolences. Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Naveen Patnaik said Pradhan will be remembered for his ...

Odisha disbursed Rs 5,024 cr to 10 mn women on Women's Day: Dy CM Pravati

Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida also criticised the opposition, and questioned what work had they done to empower the women

1,000 students from Nepal returned to campus amid NHRC probe: KIIT

Amid the probe by the NHRC and Odisha Police into the alleged suicidal death of a B Tech girl student, KIIT University has claimed that 1,000 of the 1,100 Nepalese students who left the campus in the wake of the February 16 unrest have returned to the institute in Bhubaneswar. The private university made this claim on Friday after Odisha's Higher Education Minister, Suryabanshi Suraj, informed the Assembly that the state government formed a professor committee to ensure a proper academic environment on the KIIT campus. "As many as 1,000 Nepalese students out of 1,100 have returned to KIIT-DU to resume their academic pursuits after temporarily leaving the campus in the wake of the February 16 incident. The remaining 100 students are on their way and will be arriving soon," the KIIT said in a statement, adding that the students' return demonstrates the strong ties between the institute and its international student community, particularly from Nepal. The Nepalese students were alleged

KIIT suicide case: NHRC team meets Odisha Police, continues probe

An NHRC team, which is probing into the death of a 20-year-old Nepalese girl student at the KIIT University here, has met senior police officers of the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack commissionerate, officials said. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) team began its inquiry into the incident on Thursday, and would continue the exercise on Friday, they said. During the day, they could meet senior KIIT officials and its founder Achyuta Samanta, the officials said. We have met the NHRC team at the state guest house and gave all pertinent information to them. A liaison officer has been specifically assigned to support and facilitate the ongoing investigation by the rights panel, Police Commissioner S Dev Datta Singh told reporters here. He along with Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena met the rights panel representatives on Thursday night. They have offered all cooperation to the NHRC team members and apprised them of the situation, under which the girl allegedly died by suicide, another ...

East Coast Railway starts Rs 1,000 cr fencing project to boost train speed

In a bid to enhance railway safety and facilitate increased train speed, East Coast Railway (ECoR) has initiated a more than Rs 1,000 crore fencing project along the tracks in various sections across its jurisdiction. A total of 2,792 kilometres of safety fencing work at a cost of Rs 865 crore has been undertaken to enhance safety, the ECoR said in a statement. This apart, Rs 207 crore was under sanction for track safety fencing works between Titilagarh & Lakholi and between Balangir-Theruvali-Singapur Road rail sections. These works aim to ensure safe train operations, prevent trespassing, and restrict the movement of cattle and wild animals near railway tracks, an official statement said. The ECoR has three divisions - Khurda Road, Sambalpur and Waltair. Under Khurda Road Division, the railways sanctioned Rs 388.85 crores for track safety fencing works for 1025.3 km stretch. In the next phase, a proposal is in place for safety fencing in the Jakhapura-Kendujhargarh-Nayagarh ...

KIIT University suicide case: NHRC orders probe, seeks report by March 10

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has ordered an on-spot inquiry into the death of a Nepalese girl student at KIIT University in Odisha and asked its officials to submit a report by March 10. The NHRC issued the order while acting on a complaint that 20-year-old Prakriti Lamsal died allegedly by suicide in her hostel room on February 16. The commission said that the investigation should be held in accordance with the provisions of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. Considering the seriousness of the matter, the commission directs the Registrar (Law) to proceed for an inquiry in KIIT University, Bhubaneswar to conduct an on-spot inquiry along with a team consisting of two officers from the investigation division, one not below the rank of SSP and one officer/official from Law Division, and submit its inquiry report to the Commission by 10th March, 2025, the NHRC order said. Complainant Ashutosh B, in his petition, alleged that Lamsal, a Nepalese student at Kalinga .

CM Majhi sets 85% expenditure target for Odisha in 2024-25 fiscal year

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has set a target of spending 85 per cent of the budget estimates for 2024-25 fiscal against an expenditure of 81 per cent achieved in 2023-24, an official statement said. Majhi, who also holds the Finance portfolio, set this target while reviewing the expenditure of different departments on Thursday. Though the expenditure was affected due to the elections, government transition, and budget presentation in September, Majhi said spending was apparently satisfactory. "To meet the target, Majhi advised ministers to approve expenditure proposals and clear pending payments under welfare schemes", the statement issued by the CMO said. Stating that Odisha's 6.1 per cent allocation of its Gross Domestic Product (GSDP) to capital expenditure is the highest in the country, the chief minister said programme expenditure and capital expenditure were crucial for the overall growth. The statement said the expenditure was good in the departments of ...

KIIT row: Nepal human rights panel asks India counterpart to ensure justice

The National Human Rights Commission of Nepal has urged its Indian counterpart to investigate the unnatural death of a 20-year-old student at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) here and ensure justice for her. The alleged death by suicide of B Tech student Prakriti Lamsal and the subsequent attack on protesting Nepalese pupils at KIIT and their eviction from the campus created a furore, prompting the Nepal government to intervene in the matter. Nepal NHRC, in a press release, said it has written to the National Human Rights Commission of India requesting it to probe the suspicious death of the woman, who hailed from Kathmandu, and provide speedy justice to the students who were allegedly beaten up and mistreated at KIIT. It urged India's NHRC to ensure security for the Nepalese students and ensure that they can study in a fear-free environment, besides bringing the university officials and individuals involved in the incident to book. Based on the complaints received

Odisha govt vows to take action against those involved in KIIT case

The Odisha government on Saturday said all those responsible for the death of a Nepalese student of a private engineering institute KIIT and the alleged assault on the pupils from the Himalayan country would not be spared. Congress activists also held a demonstration, demanding the immediate arrest of KIIT founder Achyuta Samanta. A large number of youth and student activists of Congress staged the protest before the main gate of the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) and burnt effigy of Samanta. A scuffle broke out between the security personnel and the agitators when Congress workers attempted to barge into the KIIT campus. The Congress activists held the demonstration a day after the party MLAs in the assembly demanded a judicial inquiry into the death of a 20-year-old Nepalese student and subsequently, the alleged attack on pupils from the neighbouring country. Odisha's Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, however, said that the state government was ...

Mayadhar Raut, known as 'father of Odissi dance', passes away at 92

Renowned Odissi dancer Mayadhar Raut (92) died on Saturday at his Delhi home, his son Manoj Raut said. "He had breakfast this morning, surrounded by his grandchildren and the rest of the family. He wasn't experiencing any illnesses and passed away due to old age," Raut told PTI. The last rites will be conducted at the Lodhi Road crematorium on Saturday. The Padma Shri awardee, born on July 6, 1933 in Odisha, is considered the "Father of Odissi dance", having steered the revival of Odissi in 1950s with Shastra-based knowledge. His training to become one of the foremost artistes of the dance form began at the age of seven with learning the 'Gotipua' dance form, a precursor to the classical Odissi dance. Raut was the first to present the 'Gotipua Dance on stage in 1944. Later, he worked to codify, redefine and restructure Odissi dance to get it the status of a "shastra-based classical dance form". Raut was a founding member of Kala Vikas Kendra in Cuttack in 1952; it was the first

159 students of Odisha univ return to Nepal, claim were treated 'inhumanly'

Days after a Nepalese female student allegedly died by suicide at an Odisha university and the college administration ordered Nepali students to vacate the hostel, 159 students have returned to the country via Raxaul border, an official has said. Assistant Chief District Officer, Parsa, Suman Kumar Karki said that 159 Nepali students arrived home from the Raxaul border point till Thursday evening. Prakriti Lamsal, 20, a third-year B Tech (Computer Science) student at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Odisha, allegedly died by suicide at her hostel room on February 16, leading to unrest on the campus. There are around 1,000 Nepalese students studying in KIIT, Odisha. Speaking to media at Reporters' Club in Kathmandu, a group of students who returned to Nepal said that they were subjected to inhuman treatment at the KIIT after the death of the Nepalese female student in the college hostel. After the mysterious death of Prakriti Lamsal, we were abused and got inhum

KIIT issue: Unhappy with reply, BJD, Cong stage walkout in Odisha Assembly

The opposition BJD and Congress on Friday staged a walkout in the Odisha Assembly expressing dissatisfaction with the state Higher Education minister Suryabanshi Suraj's reply to the debate on the KIIT issue. Members cutting across party lines expressed disappointment with what happened at KIIT after the death of a Nepalese student in her hostel room. The BJD and Congress demanded a judicial inquiry into the matter but the state government did not respond to their request. The minister said law will take its course and whoever is guilty will be punished. The unrest in KIIT began after the alleged suicide of 20-year-old Prakriti Lamsal, a student from Nepal, on Sunday afternoon. Other Nepalese students staged agitation and demanded justice. However, the KIIT authorities issued suspension notices to about 1,000 Nepalese students and asked them to leave the campus on Monday. Following the intervention of the Centre and the state government, the KIIT authorities had tendered an apolog

KIIT launches scholarship in memory of Nepalese student amid backlash

The KIIT suicide case has led to diplomatic concerns between Nepal and India as the Nepalese government warned that it might reconsider sending students to Indian institutions if justice is not served