Prakriti Lamsal, a 20-year-old Nepalese student at KIIT in Odisha, was found dead in her hostel, initially ruled a suicide. Her death sparked protests from Nepalese students, claiming university negligence regarding her previous abuse by fellow student Advik Shrivastava. After her death, arrests were made, including Advik, for abetment of suicide, and six others linked to the protest’s violent suppression. KIIT faced backlash for forcefully evicting Nepalese students, leading to diplomatic tensions. The Odisha government has initiated a fact-finding investigation, while the Nepalese government has warned about potential cessation of student admissions to Odisha universities.
New Delhi:
While a university in Odisha was hosting its three-day annual festival, the body of a student was found in her hostel room. This tragic discovery triggered diplomatic discussions between two countries within mere hours. The death of 20-year-old Prakriti Lamsal, a Nepalese student at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar, has led to a wave of accusations, arrests, rising diplomatic tensions, and unrest among students.
Incident Overview
Prakriti, a third-year B.Tech (Computer Science) student, was discovered dead in her hostel room on Sunday afternoon. Initially classified as a suicide by the police, her death’s circumstances incited protests on campus.
Students from Nepal called for an inquiry and demanded accountability from the university administration, which they claim ignored Prakriti’s pleas for assistance. Allegations surfaced that Prakriti was subjected to both physical and verbal abuse by Advik Shrivastava, a 21-year-old BTech (Mechanical) student from the same university. An audio clip, which went viral following the discovery of Prakriti’s body, features a man hurling abusive language at a woman who appears to be sobbing. The man coerces the woman into calling herself a “wh*r*” and even extracts an apology from her.
While the audio captures both individuals referring to each other as Advik and Prakriti, NDTV has not independently verified the authenticity of the recording.
Advik, a resident of Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, was apprehended on Monday outside Bhubaneswar’s airport and charged with abetting suicide.
Following a post-mortem at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, Prakriti’s body has been returned to her family and is scheduled to be flown to Nepal today. “I sent my daughter abroad for higher studies, trusting that she would be safe. What transpired here is unacceptable,” her father, Sunil Lamsal, expressed.
Manhandling of Students
In response to protests by Nepalese students, KIIT University — established and managed by veteran Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and former MP Achyuta Samanta — opted to use force rather than engage with the students. Security personnel, accompanied by senior university officials, reportedly manhandled the students who were protesting, leading to a violent crackdown captured on video.
Footage shared on social media depicted students being physically assaulted and verbally abused. In one video, two senior university officials were observed making disparaging remarks about Nepal, with one claiming that the country’s GDP is less than KIIT’s budget for its approximately 40,000 students.
#WATCH | Odisha: A https://t.co/jHgpcuG1h1 third-year girl student from Nepal was found dead in KIIT University (Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology) hostel in Bhubaneswar on 16th February. As per a notice issued by the University, the institute is hence closed sine die… pic.twitter.com/vVfgY140up
— ANI (@ANI) February 17, 2025
The protests persisted overnight, leading to an unexpected development. With exams approaching, all Nepalese students were instructed to vacate the university premises.
“The University is closed Sine Die for all International students from Nepal. They are hereby directed to leave the university campus immediately today on 17th February 2025,” stated the university announcement.
Students were transported by university buses to the railway station in Cuttack, left to manage on their own. “They (KIIT) didn’t provide any explanation, just ordered us to leave,” recounted one Nepalese student.
Government Intervention
On Tuesday, the Odisha government established a three-member fact-finding committee to probe the circumstances surrounding Prakriti’s death and the university’s approach to student protests. The committee is chaired by the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) and includes members from the Higher Education and Women and Child Development departments.
State Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj acknowledged that KIIT authorities failed to notify the government about the incident, including the forced expulsion of foreign students. “The institution has been put on notice, and appropriate legal and administrative actions will follow based on the committee’s findings,” he stated.
Mr. Suraj questioned why Nepalese students were dropped off at Cuttack railway station and why the state government was not informed about the unfolding crisis. He noted that while around 100 Nepalese students remain on campus, nearly 800 others have returned to Nepal.
Legal Actions and Arrests
Including Advik, Odisha Police have made six arrests concerning both the student’s death and the violence against protesters. Among those detained are three high-ranking university officials: Director General (HR) Sibananda Mishra, Director (Administration) Pratap Kumar Chamupaty, and Director of Hostels Sudhir Kumar Rath. Additionally, two security guards, Jogendra Behera and Ramakanta Nayak, were arrested for their involvement in the violent suppression of protests.
Two separate cases have been filed; the first revolves around the suicide, initiated by a complaint from Prakriti’s cousin, while the second was initiated by the police following the circulation of viral videos showing security forces assaulting students.
Apologies and Diplomatic Consequences
In the viral videos, a KIIT faculty member, Manjusha Pandey, suggested that KIIT “feeds and educates over 40,000 students for free,” equating it to Nepal’s national budget. Another staff member, Jayanti Nath, made similar claims.
Both Ms. Pandey and Ms. Nath later issued public apologies. “My statements were made in the heat of the moment,” Ms. Pandey stated in a video message. “If my words offended any Nepalese students or the people of Nepal, I sincerely apologize.”
@MEAIndia@PM_nepal_@DrSJaishankar@PMOIndia@MofaNepal@IndiaInNepal@EONIndia pic.twitter.com/zPsRL0wNm8
— Jayanti Nath (@JayantiNath6) February 18, 2025
KIIT also expressed regret and removed two of its officials from service, although it did not disclose their identities. The institution urged Nepalese students to return to their hostels and continue their studies.
However, the Nepalese government has responded firmly. In a strongly worded statement, it cautioned that it might suspend the issuance of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for students wishing to enroll in universities in Odisha if the situation is not resolved in a “justifiable and legal manner.”
Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli directly intervened, indicating that his government is addressing the matter through diplomatic channels. “Our Embassy in New Delhi has sent officers to counsel affected students,” he remarked.
The Nepalese Ministry of Foreign Affairs referred to the incident as “unimaginable” and assured that it remains in continuous contact with the Indian government and KIIT officials. The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu has also pledged to ensure the safety of Nepalese students in India.
Political Repercussions in Odisha
The incident quickly escalated into a political controversy in Odisha. The Congress party has called for a judicial inquiry, while the ruling BJP — which made history in the recent Assembly elections by winning over the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD — has demanded the arrest of KIIT founder Achyuta Samanta. The BJD, in response, has accused the BJP-led state government of contributing to the declining law and order situation.
This issue was also raised in the Odisha Assembly, where MLAs from various parties condemned the incident. “The happenings at KIIT have tarnished the state’s reputation, which is intolerable,” remarked a Congress MLA during the discussions.