A Nepali undergraduate student was found dead in her hostel room at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar on Thursday evening, marking the second such death in less than three months. The student, who was studying computer science, is suspected to have died by suicide, though the exact circumstances remain unclear.
Bhubaneswar Police Commissioner S. Devdutt Singh confirmed the incident, stating that the student hailed from Birgunj, Nepal. Authorities have begun their investigation, but the cause behind her apparent suicide is still being probed.
This tragic event follows another incident in February, when a 20-year-old Nepali student, also studying computer science at KIIT, died by suicide under similar circumstances. In that case, the student allegedly faced blackmail by a classmate, which escalated into a major controversy after racial and humiliating comments were made by some faculty members toward Nepali students. The situation led to protests and widespread criticism of the university’s response.
The accused in the earlier case, Advik Shrivastava, a third-year B.Tech student, was arrested at the city airport while attempting to flee. KIIT faced heavy criticism for its mishandling of the incident, particularly when over 1,000 Nepali students were reportedly asked to leave the campus. The Ministry of External Affairs intervened, prompting the university to issue apologies and initiate corrective measures.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) investigated the earlier case and held KIIT responsible for the sequence of events that led to the student’s death. The NHRC concluded that the university’s inaction in the face of allegations of sexual harassment violated the student’s rights to equality and dignity, contributing to her suicide.
Following the February incident, the Odisha government formed a high-powered committee, led by the additional chief secretary of home, to investigate reports of misconduct, including the alleged use of force against students by KIIT officials. The committee’s report, however, has not yet been submitted.
This latest tragedy has once again raised questions about student welfare and the handling of sensitive cases within educational institutions.