KIIT University Under Fire For Expelling Nepali Students After Tragic Suicide—Government Scrambles To Fix Crisis

KIIT University in Odisha faced crisis following the tragic suicide of a Nepali student, which escalated when the university briefly ordered Nepali students to leave campus, prompting diplomatic intervention.

After the state government stepped in, Odisha's Higher Education Minister, Suryabanshi Suraj, confirmed that the evacuation order had been revoked. The government is now working to facilitate the students' return, providing transport to bring them back to campus.

Tragedy at KIIT: A Nation Responds

Nepal's top officials quickly took action, with Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli announcing that two embassy representatives from New Delhi had been sent to support the affected 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.'

How It Began: The Trigger

The crisis started when Prakriti Lamsal, a B.Tech Computer Science student from Nepal, took her own life on Sunday after a disagreement with her former boyfriend, Advik Shrivastava, a mechanical engineering student.

Warning: This audio contains extremely offensive and abusive language. Listener discretion is advised.

Shrivastava was later caught at Bhubaneswar Airport trying to escape. This tragedy ignited protests by Nepali students, including road blockages and demonstrations, which led to the university's debated, though brief, evacuation order.

Given the unease among Nepali students at KIIT following the young woman's death, university officials spoke with the protesting students. 'Keeping in view the situation, the Nepal students have been sent to their respective homes. The situation presently remained calm,' the KIIT said.

Tensions Rise On Campus

Two platoons of police were stationed to maintain order on campus. Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) Prakash Chandra Pal stated that police were ensuring peace inside and outside the university grounds.

'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 said.

The state government has acted to resolve the situation, with Minister Suraj highlighting India's strong relationship with Nepal, especially Odisha's link through Lord Jagannath. The state's home department has started an investigation, collecting evidence such as the accused's diary, laptop, and cell phone.

Allegations Of Blackmail Surface

Lamsal's cousin filed a report at the Infocity police station in Bhubaneswar, claiming she had hanged herself in her dorm room on Sunday. He suspected a male student at the university was blackmailing her, and drove her to commit suicide, according to a report by Deccan Herald.

In a statement, the university said, '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.'

KIIT University stated that police were notified immediately following the incident. 'We have registered a case at Infocity Police Station based on the allegation that a male student abated her suicide,' Bhubaneswar DCP Pinak Mishra said.

'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,' Mishra added.

Efforts To Resolve The Situation

Two buses transported Nepali students to the Cuttack Railway Station on 17th February. 'We were told to vacate hostel room and dropped at the railway station. We had to appear for examination on 28th February,' a male student told reporters at the Cuttack railway station.

Students from other states claimed that private security guards at the university prevented them from leaving their dorms. A video showing a fight between students and the university's private security guards circulated widely on social media, though its authenticity remains unconfirmed.

The DCP urged students to remain peaceful and avoid violence. KIIT University also called for a return to normal operations, asking all Nepali students who had left or intended to leave to return to campus and resume their studies.