Bhubaneswar: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has constituted a fact-finding committee to probe two consecutive suicide cases at KIIT varsity in Odisha capital here.   

The four-member committee has been asked examine the circumstances surrounding the suicide incidents at KIIT and ensure compliance with students’ welfare and safety regulations, and suggest measures to prevent such incidents.

Prof. Nageshwar Rao, former Vice Chancellor of IGNOU, has been appointed as the chairperson of the fact-finding committee.

Prof Shashikala Wanjari, Vice Chancellor of National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEP), and Prof. HCS Rathore, former Vice Chancellor of Central University of South Bihar, are the members of the panel.

Sunita Siwach, the Joint Secretary of UGC, has been appointed as the coordinating officer of the fact-finding committee.

Notably, a girl student from Nepal had been found dead at her hostel room at KIIT on February 16 this year.

The girl student, identified as Prakriti Lamsal, allegedly ended her life after she was allegedly subjected to mental torture by a classmate boy of the institute. The victim was a B.Tech third-year student at the institute. 

Prisha Shah, another girl student from Nepal, allegedly died by suicide at KIIT yesterday. She was a first-year student of computer science at KIIT.

Prisha was staying at room no. 111 of campus no. 4 at KIIT. She allegedly ended her life at her hostel room.