Prakriti Lamsal, a third-year B-Tech student from Nepal at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), was found dead in her hostel room on Sunday. Authorities are currently investigating the cause of her death, which is suspected to be suicide.

According to her cousin, who lodged a complaint with the police, Lamsal had been blackmailed by a male student at the university, which may have led to her tragic decision. KIIT, in its statement, suggested that a possible romantic relationship with another student could have contributed to the incident, but emphasized that investigations were ongoing.

Bhubaneswar DCP Pinak Mishra confirmed that the police had registered a case based on the cousin’s allegations that the male student may have abetted the suicide. The accused student is in custody and being interrogated, with police seizing the deceased’s mobile phone and other devices for further investigation.

Protest and eviction

The incident triggered protests on campus, with Nepali students demanding justice. To ease tensions, KIIT authorities decided to send the Nepali students home. The university assured that the situation was under control, though two platoons of police were deployed to ensure peace.

Meanwhile, reports surfaced of Nepali students being forcibly evicted from their hostel rooms. Two busloads of these students were dropped off at the Cuttack Railway Station on Monday, even as some expressed frustration over the timing, with exams approaching on February 28. 

Other students also reported being restricted from leaving the hostel by private security guards, leading to a viral video showing a scuffle between students and security staff. However, the authenticity of the video remains unverified, and KIIT declined to comment on these allegations.

KP Sharma Oli reacts

Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli responded to the tragic death of a Nepali student at KIIT University in Odisha, taking to social media to assure the public that the government is actively working through diplomatic channels to address the situation. 

He wrote”It has come to our attention through media and social media that a Nepali student has died in the hostel of Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University in Odisha and that Nepali students have been forcibly evicted from the hostel. The government is working on this matter through diplomatic channels and is in contact with the relevant authorities.”

(With Agency Inputs)