The reported suicide of 20-year-old Nepali student Prakriti Lamsal at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) has ignited widespread outrage and protests, both from students and political figures. Lamsal, a third-year BTech student, was found dead in her hostel room on February 16, with initial investigations suggesting she may have been subjected to harassment and blackmail by a fellow student, Advik Srivastava, 21, from Lucknow.
The tragic incident has fueled a massive uproar within the Nepali student community at KIIT, prompting over 500 students to take to the streets in protest. However, the protests took a more alarming turn when reports surfaced that university officials allegedly attempted to evict Nepali students from the campus, instead of addressing their grievances. This sparked even more fury, leading to the involvement of prominent political figures.
On February 18, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi expressed her outrage over the university’s response to the protests. In a tweet on X (formerly Twitter), she called it “unfortunate” that it took Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to intervene in the matter. She criticized KIIT staff for their “insensitive” handling of the situation, stating, “A Nepali girl commits suicide because she is being harassed by her former boyfriend, and instead of seeking justice, the university asks all Nepali students to leave the campus. This gross insensitivity must be punished.”
The situation has escalated to the point where Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli felt compelled to speak out. Oli took to social media to express concern over Lamsal’s death, writing, “It has come to our attention through media that a Nepali student has died in KIIT University, Odisha, and that Nepali students have been forcibly evicted from the hostel. The government is working on this matter through diplomatic channels and is in contact with the relevant authorities.” Earlier, on February 17, he confirmed that the Nepali embassy in New Delhi had dispatched two officers to counsel the affected Nepali students and had made arrangements for them to either remain in the hostel or return home, as per their preference.
The alarming reports of harassment, coupled with the university’s purported mishandling of the protests, have caught the attention of both Nepalese and Indian authorities. As the protests continue, the situation remains tense, with students demanding justice for Lamsal and better treatment for Nepali students at the university.