Odisha KIIT death: India assures safety of Nepali students after PM Oli seeks resolution

The university has more than 400 students from Nepal.

The death of a third-year B Tech student Nepali student at the hostel of Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University in Bhubaneswar has sparked a diplomatic row.

India has assured students from Nepal of its efforts to ensure their well-being after KIIT reportedly asked the students from the neighbouring country to evacuate. The university reportedly has more than 400 students from Nepal.

Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Monday said the country's embassy in New Delhi dispatched two officers to counsel students who were allegedly forced to evacuate.

In a statement, the Indian embassy in Nepal said it will take all necessary steps to ensure the well-being of Nepali students: "Nepali students studying in India form an important facet of enduring people-to-people links,” it said in a statement posted on X.

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IndiaInNepal (@IndiaInNepal) February 17, 2025

The embassy has also assured the students that they could either remain in the hostel or return to Nepal, depending on their preference.

Following protests by Nepalese students, the Odisha's government instructed KIIT to allow the students to return to campus. The institution also issued a statement regarding restoring normalcy and urged the return of Nepalese students to continue their academic activities.

Odisha's Higher Education Minister, Suryabanshi Suraj, expressed concern over the situation. He said Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has asked authorities to treat the matter with the "utmost seriousness," considering India’s positive relationship with Nepal.

Suraj also criticised KIIT for evicting the Nepalese students, calling it an unjust move.

What happened?

A third-year B Tech student from Nepal was found dead in her hostel room on February 16. Police believe she ended her life by hanging, allegedly due to a strained relationship with a male student from the same institution.

Sources told Moneycontrol on condition of anonymity that the victim was allegedly being harassed by the accused. "She had complained against the guy earlier too... But he resumed classes. There is an (unverified) audio message circulating online where a boy and girl can be heard talking. He is abusing her and threatening her while she is weeping. It is being said the voices belong to Lamsal and the accused,” the source said.

Moneycontrol could not independently corroborate the veracity of the audio clip circulating online.