Protests, diplomatic tension and more: How chaos unfolded at Odisha’s KIIT following Nepali student's death

On February 16, third-year BTech student Prakriti Lamsal was found dead in her hostel room (Image: PTI)

A tragic incident occurred at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, where Prakriti Lamsal, a third-year BTech student, was found dead in her hostel room on Sunday.

The death of the 20-year-old Nepalese student has sparked allegations, arrests, diplomatic tensions, and student unrest.

Here’s what happened

On February 16, third-year BTech student Prakriti Lamsal was found dead in her hostel room. In response, Nepali students protested, alleging she was harassed by a fellow student and that the college ignored repeated complaints.

According to the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissionerate, Advik Srivastava, the accused student, was arrested on February 17 and sent to judicial custody the same day.

Sources told Moneycontrol on condition of anonymity that Lamsal was allegedly being harassed by the accused. “She (Lamsal) 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, however, could not independently corroborate the veracity of the audio clip circulating online.

In response to protests over Lamsal’s death, KIIT suspended and expelled nearly 1,000 Nepalese students on February 17. However, following government intervention, the institution issued an apology and invited the students back to campus.

The institute urged the Nepali students to join the regular academics with immediate effect and also set up a dedicated control room to facilitate their return. "We were forcibly taken on a bus and dropped at a place near the railway station where there was no shop or water. What was our fault? Now they (dean and other officials of KIIT) are affectionately asking us to return. Can anyone believe them?" Preeti, a student from Nepal was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

Odisha govt forms probe panel

In response to growing concerns, the Odisha government established a fact-finding committee to probe the circumstances of the 20-year-old Nepali student’s death at KIIT hostel and the institute’s actions against students advocating for justice.

The three-member panel will also probe why authorities of the institute did not inform the state government about its action against the students from the Himalayan kingdom.

The panel is headed by the additional chief secretary (Home). The other members are secretaries of the higher education and women and child development departments.

Nepal PM steps in

Both Indian and Nepalese authorities have taken notice of the case, as demands for justice continue to rise. The Nepal government has cautioned that it could stop issuing no objection certificates for students planning to study in Odisha if the situation arising from the death of the student is not resolved in a "justifiable and legal way".

The country's Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in a statement said it may suspend issuance of no objection certificate (NOC) in the future to students wishing to study in any university or educational institutions in Odisha.

Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli intervened, affirming that his government is addressing the matter through diplomatic channels. “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,” he wrote on X.

What Congress, BJP, BJD said?

The issue reached the state Assembly, where lawmakers from all parties expressed alarm over the student’s death and the removal of Nepalese students from the hostel.

While Congress demanded a judicial inquiry into the matter relating to the death of the girl and alleged torture of students, the BJP members demanded the arrest of KIIT founder Achyuta Samanta.

The BJD said the incident was an outcome of the worsening law and order situation in BJP-ruled Odisha.