Bhubaneswar:

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday claimed that the Nepalese students studying in Odisha are the children of the state and they will remain engaged in pursuit of education with full respect and dignity, a official release stated.

CM Majhi made this claim during a telephonic talk with Nepal’s Foreign Minister Dr Arzu Rana Deuba, the statement issued to the media by the chief minister’s office claimed.

He promised Deuba that the state government will implement strict action on those who played a role in the suspected suicide of a 20-year-old engineering student and subsequent attack of Nepalese students at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT).

“The state government is monitoring the developments (at KIIT) closely and all measures will be taken to revive hope and confidence of the students. Nepal foreign minister thanked CM Majhi and was satisfied with the steps taken by the state government,” the release added.

CM Majhi received Nepal Embassy officials Sanjeev Das Sharma and Naveen Raj Adhikari at his chamber in Lok Seva Bhawan and told them that 10 individuals have been arrested in relation to the attack on the Nepalese students.

Tough action will be initiated against all those who were involved in the incident. All the arrangements have been done by the government to restore the academic environment on KIIT campus,” CM Majhi informed the embassy officials.

The Nepalese officials, as per the CMO, said that the state government has acted swiftly in this incident.

As a result of this, the Nepali students and their guardians felt secure. They thanked the Odisha government, particularly the chief minister, on behalf of the government of Nepal for this, the release added.

The officials of the embassy also stated that there has been a long-standing relation between Nepal and Odisha and they hoped it will never be disturbed by what has happened in KIIT.

Odisha Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja and Additional Chief Secretary to the chief minister, Nikunj Bihari Dhal, were also present during the discussion.

The two embassy officials have been staying in the Odisha capital for the past five days on orders of Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli.