Berhampur, Aug. 29: The state government suspended Kalyan Kumar Rath, project administrator of Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) in Gajapati, in connection with the suicide of a nursing student on August 13.

Demanding the arrest of Rath, the Adivasi Mahasangh staged a dharna in front of the collector’s office at Paralakhemundi for the fourth day today. They have also called for Gajapati strike on September 1.

Sunita Raita, a nursing student from R Udayagiri block, held Rath and the then Gajapati collector Basudev Bahinipati responsible for her death in her suicide note. She and her family members had visited the two officers several times seeking release of nursing stipend of Rs 54,000 that had been due to her. Lack of financial support forced the girl to hang herself from a ceiling fan in her house on August 13.

The state government had shifted the collector on August 17. Later, the project administrator was also transferred.

“The state government had earlier transferred the project administrator. But we wanted the administration to suspend him and then initiate necessary action after the probe is complete,” said Antaryami Gamang, a leader of the Adivasi Mahasangh.