Orissa KIIT Row: A Student’s Death, Protests and a Diplomatic Rift

The death of a Nepalese student at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, has triggered protests, a police investigation, and diplomatic friction between India and Nepal. Prakriti Lamsal, a 20-year-old third-year computer science student, was found dead in her hostel room on February 16, 2025. Authorities have classified her death as a suicide.

Following the incident, hundreds of Nepalese students at KIIT protested, alleging that Ms. Lamsal had been harassed by Advik Srivastava, a 21-year-old third-year mechanical engineering student from Lucknow. Mr. Srivastava was arrested on charges of abetment to suicide while attempting to leave Bhubaneswar at Biju Patnaik International Airport. On February 17, KIIT ordered approximately 500 Nepalese students to vacate the campus, a decision that led to clashes between students and university staff. The university later reversed the order.

Nepal’s government responded swiftly. On February 24, Nepal’s National Human Rights Commission wrote to India’s NHRC, requesting an investigation into Ms. Lamsal’s death and the treatment of Nepalese students. Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba spoke with Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on February 22, seeking a thorough probe. Mr. Majhi assured that an inquiry was underway and that strict action would follow based on findings from a state-formed committee. More than 150 Nepalese students have since returned to Nepal via the Raxaul border.

KIIT, a private institution enrolling about 1,000 Nepalese students among its 40,000 total, has taken disciplinary steps. The university terminated two security staff members and suspended three officials, including a hostel administrator and an International Relations Office officer, pending an internal review. Odisha police arrested ten KIIT employees on charges of assaulting students, supported by CCTV footage. On February 25, India’s University Grants Commission directed KIIT to submit a report on actions taken in response to the incident.

The Odisha government has distanced itself from KIIT’s initial actions, with Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj emphasizing accountability. KIIT founder Achyuta Samanta appeared before the state committee on February 21 amid calls from opposition leaders for further scrutiny. The episode has drawn attention to student safety and the treatment of international students at Indian universities, with ongoing investigations set to determine the full scope of responsibility. Pic credit PTI.