CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI ■ ■ BHUBANESWAR l wednesday l february 19, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 14 l late CITY EDITION US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (left) and Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (right) at the meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Tuesday | P11 | AFP After Modi, Amir 5 KIIT staff held as Nepal ups ante over student death talks, Qatar ties in strategic zone A s i s h M e h ta @ Bhubaneswar Aim to double bilateral trade from $14 bn in five years, enhance energy, trade partnership J ayan t h J a c o b @ New Delhi India and Qatar elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership on Tuesday, agreeing to double their annual trade from $14 billion in five years and focusing on enhancing cooperation in energy, investments and the technology sector following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Qatari Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad AlThani. Both sides signed agreements and five memorandums of understanding (MOUs), including a revised double taxation avoidance pact. India already has strategic ties with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Kuwait within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “Had a very productive meeting with my brother, Amir of Qatar H.H. Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, earlier today. Under his leadership, Qatar has scaled new heights of progress. He is also committed to a strong India-Qatar friendship. This visit is even more special because we have elevated our ties to a Strategic Partnership,” Modi said on X. “Trade, investment and energy were among the major topics of discussion between the two leaders today,” said Arun Chatterjee, Secretary in the Ministry Pic: Shekhar Yadav Prime Minister Narendra Modi hugs Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday of External Affairs. Qatar is also a major investor in India, with the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) holding around $1.5 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) across sectors like retail, power, IT, education, healthcare and affordable housing. Both leaders identified a number of areas in which the QIA can increase investments. This is the Amir’s second visit to India after Modi came to power. Regarding a Navy official who is still in Qatari jail Chatterjee said: “I would like to just mention that his matter still remains sub judice in the local courts in Qatar. And as I mentioned, the prime minister appreciated the work that Amir and his government is doing in the protection and the welfare of our Indian citizens.” Amid massive public outcry over the forced eviction of Nepali students for protesting against the suicide of a fellow student, police on Tuesday arrested three senior officials and two security guards of KIIT University here. As diplomatic interventions continued on the day to ensure safe return of the students to the university campus, the Education Ministry of Nepal said it would be constrained to issue no objection certificates (NOC) to those wishing to study in Odisha unless the current situation is not resolved in a “justifiable and legal way .” Nepal Embassy in India said its ambassador Shankar P Sharma had a telephonic conversa- tion with KIIT University founder Achyuta Samanta and also met his representatives at New Delhi. Samanta briefed Sharma about the actions taken by KIIT, including a public apology from the vice-chancellor and termination of staff, read the Nepal Embassy’s post on X. The Foreign Affairs Minister of Nepal Arzu Rana Deoba also held telephonic discussions with KIIT representatives. The university assured that it will bear the travel expenses of students who had reached Nepal and make arrangements for re-examination of students missing out on the tests. On a day when the state government constituted a high-level committee to investigate into the matter, university’s director general of human resources Sibananda Mishra, director, administration Pratap Chamupaty and director of hostels Sudhir Kumar Rath were held along with two security guards - Ramakanta Nayak and Jogendra Behera by Infocity police. Earlier in the day, the university suspended an administrative officer of international relations office and two hostel officials while terminating two security staff. As tension continued to run high, the KIIT University issued a public apology to mollify the situation. “We are extremely appalled by Ambassador Shankar P Sharma had a telephonic conversation with KIIT University founder Achyuta Samanta. Samanta briefed Sharma about the actions taken by KIIT – Nepal Embassy Rahul, Tharoor thaw on TNIE col PR E E TH A N A IR & K S SR E E J ITH @ New Delhi / T’Puram AMID the row over Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s recent column in this newspaper backing the CPM-led Kerala government’s development initiatives, senior leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday held a 30-minute oneon-one meeting with the fourtime MP from Thiruvananthapuram, who has come under fire from the party’s state unit. Sources said the Congress’ top leadership has decided to stand with Tharoor, who managed to convince Rahul about the facts in his column. Both leaders also agreed to meet more frequently . This is the first such meeting between Rahul and Tharoor in about three years and is seen as Rahul Gandhi Shashi Tharoor a reconciliatory effort on the part of the central leadership. “Tharoor has been trying for an appointment with Rahul ever since the latter contested for Congress president in 2022. It required an article for that to happen,’’ a close confidant of Tharoor said in half jest. However, the development is seen as a blow to the state leadership. Leader of Opposition V D Satheeshan, his predecessor the untoward incident that took place in our campus on February 16. We are also regretful of the way some of us behaved with the agitating students. We love our students and had never done any disservice to them. The comments made by two of our officers are extremely irresponsible. Although the comments were made on their personal capacity and on the spur of the moment, we do not support their action,” said KIIT University’s vice-chancellor Saranjit Singh. Appealing Nepali students to Ramesh Chennithala, and senior leader K Muralidharan had buried their differences and united to condemn Tharoor. Sources said Tharoor raised the issues of non-cooperation from the Kerala leadership and lack of inclusiveness in discussions at the national level. Speaking to reporters later, AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Veugopal said all is well in the party and that Tharoor shares the party’s views. Tharoor declined to comment on his meeting with Rahul Gandhi. “It was a longpending request I had made for a meeting to discuss various issues. Since it was a meeting where only the two of us were present throughout, it would not be appropriate for me to say anything more,” he said. join the regular academics with immediate effect, the statement said KIIT has love and affection for all the students and people of Nepal. “We love them as much as we love the people of India and the world,” it said. Meanwhile, the victim’s father told mediapersons that he has full faith in the state government and its police to deliver justice. Protest continued in front of the university on the day even as police kept a watch. The 20-year-old victim, a third year B.Tech student, allegedly died by suicide after being harassed by her male friend, of the same batch. The accused has been arrested. Meanwhile, all the five employees were granted bail by a local court in the evening. Murmurs of Bishnupada’s resignation after CBI search and Public Grievance department, had found himself embroiled in the row in December ON a day of twists and turns, last when the central agency senior IAS officer Bishnupada served him a notice after arrestSethi’s premises were searched ing group general manager of by the CBI only to be Bridge and Roof (Comfollowed by his purpany) Ltd for allegedly ported resignation in taking a `10 lakh bribe protest of the raid here from the director of a on Tuesday . Bhubaneswar-based Drama followed in company . Pleading innocence, front of the IAS officSethi said he was not er’s residence as Sethi engaged with the CBI Bishnupada Sethi even named in the FIR and might resign from officers accusing the latter of conducting the raids his service or even contemwithout any warrant or in pres- plate extreme steps. The IAS officer said he belongs to the ence of lady personnel. Sethi, currently posted as an Dalit community and always officer on special duty (OSD) in p e r f o r m e d h i s d u t i e s Continued on P5 . the General Administration honestly  E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Bhubaneswar