Nepal student found dead in Odisha’s KIIT hostel, over 500 students ‘forcibly evicted’; PM KP Sharma Oli reacts

Prime Minister of Nepal, KP Sharma Oli, on Monday, February 17, acknowledged the death of a Nepali student at the hostel of Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University in Odisha and others who have been forcefully evicted, reported the news agency ANI.

PM KP Sharma Oli also said that the government is working on this matter through diplomatic channels, as per the report.

PM KP Sharma Oli says ‘Working on this'

“The government is working on this matter through diplomatic channels and is in contact with the relevant authorities,” said the Prime Minister cited by the news agency.

A third-year B.Tech student of a private engineering institute here died allegedly by suicide in her hostel leading to tension in the campus, police said on Monday.

PM Oli also informed that two officers from New Delhi have been sent to counsel the students from Nepal in KIIT.

“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,” PM Oli wrote on X.

Later the Nepal Embassy also issued a statement saying, “Embassy of India, Kathmandu, is deeply saddened by the tragic death of a Nepali student at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The Embassy extends its heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased during this difficult time”. 

Nepali B.Tech Student Found Dead in KIIT

The deceased student, who hails from Nepal, was identified as Prakriti Lamsal. A complaint was filed by Lamsal's cousin in Bhubhaneshwar alleging that his sister hanged herself in a hostel room as a male student was blackmailing her, reported PTI.

The college issued a statement saying, “A Nepali student studying in the third year of B-Tech committed suicide in the hostel yesterday. It is suspected that the student was in a love affair with another student studying at KIIT. It is suspected that the student may have committed suicide due to some reason.”

Bhubaneswar DCP Pinak Mishra told PTI, “We have registered a case at Infocity Police Station based on the allegation that a male student abated her suicide. The accused student is in police custody and subjected to interrogation. The police have seized the mobile phone, laptop and other gadgets of the deceased woman. We are undertaking a scientific investigation into the matter.”

On Sunday night, several students from Nepal staged a demonstration on the KIIT campus, seeking justice for the deceased.

Nepali Students 'forcibly' evicted?

The college informed that the students from Nepal have been sent back home due to escalating tensions on the campus, while some claimed that they were forcibly evicted.

"The police have sealed the deceased girl's room and kept the body at the mortuary till the arrival of her parents," a varsity official told PTI.

Meanwhile, students from Nepal were dropped at the Cuttack Railway Station on Monday. "We were told to vacate hostel room and dropped at the railway station. We had to appear for examination on February 28..." a student told PTI.