Nepal girl's death in Odisha college sparks stir; many 'forced to leave', PM Oli intervenes

Bhubaneswar: A third-year B-Tech Nepali student at a private engineering institute here allegedly died by suicide in her hostel, leading to campus tension following which a group of students from the Himalayan kingdom were evicted on Monday.

The deceased, identified as Prakriti Lamsal, was studying at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), the varsity's registrar said.

As the situation escalated on campus, KIIT authorities allegedly evicted several Nepali students from the hostel and dropped them at Cuttack railway station without making any arrangements for their travel, sources said.

Some students claimed, "We had no food, water, or money to purchase train tickets." Many students boarded the Puri-Patna Express train in a general compartment, unable to secure reservations.

However, the intervention of Nepal's Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli offered some relief to the distressed students.

Oli posted on Facebook in Nepali, "It has come to our attention through media and social media that a Nepali student has died in a hostel of KIIT University in Odisha and that Nepali students have been forcibly evicted. The government is working on this matter through diplomatic channels and is in contact with the relevant authorities."

Following his intervention, KIIT authorities appealed to Nepali students to return to campus.

"An appeal is made to all our Nepali students who plan to leave the campus to return and resume classes," the university stated.

In a post on X, Oli said, "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."

The incident gained further attention when the deceased's cousin filed a complaint at Infocity police station in Bhubaneswar, alleging that his sister hanged herself in her hostel room on Sunday.

He claimed that a boy student at the university had been blackmailing his sister, which he believed led to her suicide.

KIIT authorities confirmed that the third-year B-Tech student had died by suicide in her hostel room on Sunday.

"It is suspected that the girl was having an affair with another student at KIIT, and she may have committed suicide for some reason," the university said, adding that the matter was immediately reported to police.

Bhubaneswar DCP Pinak Mishra said, "We have registered a case at Infocity police station based on the allegation that a male student abetted her suicide. The accused student is in police custody and is being interrogated. Police have seized the mobile phone, laptop, and other gadgets of the deceased woman. We are undertaking a scientific investigation into the matter."

Police sources mentioned that the accused, a KIIT student, was apprehended at Biju Patnaik International Airport on Sunday while attempting to flee the city.

The news of the Nepali student's death spread quickly, causing hundreds of students, including those from the neighbouring country, to gather on the campus on Sunday night. They staged a demonstration demanding justice.

As tension mounted at KIIT, the university authorities held discussions with the agitating students. "In view of the situation, Nepali students have been sent to their respective homes. The situation remains calm at present," the KIIT said in a statement.

Regarding the eviction of Nepali students from the hostel, KIIT clarified, "The administration made extensive efforts, engaging in counseling and discussions for over 10 hours to manage the situation peacefully. However, despite their best attempts, some protestors were unwilling to listen to the university authorities and continued to create disruptions, posing a challenge to law and order. They also blocked the main public road for hours, causing inconvenience and escalating tensions."

The university further added, "To ensure a smooth and unbiased investigation, Nepali students have been advised to return to their respective places voluntarily with the help of local guardians until the local inquiry is completed. The students are encouraged to return to the campus and will participate in normal academics, which will be restored very soon. Their academic aspects will not be disturbed during this period and will be taken care of by the university."

As a result, the temporary suspension of academic classes and hostel accommodations was immediately lifted. "This step has been taken purely to maintain peace and ensure that justice is served appropriately," KIIT authorities said.

To maintain order on the campus, two platoons (each platoon consisting of 30 personnel) of police were deployed. The police also sealed the deceased student's room and kept her body in the mortuary until her parents arrived.

Students from different states also alleged that they were not allowed to leave the hostel by private security guards.

A video showing a scuffle between male students and security guards went viral on social media, but PTI could not independently verify the video’s authenticity.

In another viral video, some female officials of the university were heard telling the girls, "Pack up and leave the hostel immediately."

KIIT authorities are yet to comment on the students' allegations that they were not allowed to leave the hostel.