NEW DELHI: Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Monday responded to the death of a Nepali student at KIIT University in Odisha, saying that his government has dispatched two officers from the Nepalese Embassy in New Delhi to counsel affected students.
“Our Embassy in New Delhi has dispatched two officers to counsel Nepali students affected in Odisha. Additionally, arrangements have been made to ensure they have the option to either remain in their hostel or return home, based on their preference,” he said.
The Embassy of India in Kathmandu also issued a statement expressing deep sorrow over the student’s death. Offering condolences to the family, the Embassy confirmed it has been in contact with both KIIT authorities and the Odisha State Government. Local authorities have already initiated an investigation into the incident, which is being treated as a case of suspected suicide.
The incident involved the alleged suicide of Prakriti Lamsal, a third-year B-Tech student from Nepal, inside her hostel room at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT). Following the discovery of her body on Sunday, tensions escalated on campus, with Nepali students staging protests demanding justice.
Her cousin filed a complaint at the Infocity police station, alleging that she took her own life due to blackmail by another student. Bhubaneswar DCP Pinak Mishra confirmed that a case has been registered on charges of abetment to suicide, and the accused student is in police custody. “We have seized the mobile phone, laptop, and other gadgets of the deceased woman. A scientific investigation is underway,” he stated, urging students to maintain peace.
Appeal all Nepali students to return and resume classes: University
In response to the growing unrest, KIIT authorities issued a notice ordering all Nepali students to vacate the campus immediately. “The institute was closed sine die for all international students from Nepal, and they are directed to vacate the university campus immediately today on 17th February,” the notice read.
Students were seen leaving hostels in large numbers, with reports emerging that they were given little time to prepare. Some claimed they had no clear travel arrangements or food. “We were protesting for the girl, and suddenly we were asked to vacate. We don’t know what their intentions are, but we were forcibly made to leave. I don’t have a train ticket or money,” Rajan Gupta, a Nepali student, told reporters.
KIIT Registrar Prof. Jnyana Ranjan Mohanty stated that the decision to ask Nepali students to leave was made in response to their protests. “Following the incident, a few Nepali students protested. The university held discussions with them, and the situation was resolved. They accepted the decision and left,” he told ANI.
KIIT University issued a statement acknowledging the incident and said the police acted swiftly. “Immediately after the incident, police investigated the matter and apprehended the culprit. The administration has taken all-out efforts to restore normalcy on campus and in the hostels to resume academic activities,” it said. The university also urged Nepali students who had left to return and resume their studies.