India: Nepali student’s suicide sparks diplomatic row, protests and crackdown at KIIT University

Bhubaneswar/Kathmandu: The tragic suicide of Prakriti Lamsal, a third-year B.Tech student from Nepal at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar, has triggered a diplomatic controversy, massive student protests and a government crackdown on the university.

The incident has drawn sharp reactions from both India and Nepal, with Nepali officials demanding justice, students protesting in multiple cities, and the Odisha government launching a high-level probe into allegations of harassment and ill-treatment faced by Nepali students on campus.

CM assures justice amid growing outrage

In response to mounting pressure, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi assured Nepali officials Sanjeeb Das Sharma and Navin Raj Adhikari that justice would be served in the case.

“The Hon’ble Chief Minister assured that peace and normalcy would be restored on the KIIT campus and urged Nepali students to return to their studies,” stated the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).

Senior state ministers and Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja met with Nepal’s representatives at the State Guest House on Wednesday, while Nepal’s Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba spoke with Odisha’s Higher Education Minister regarding the case.

Harassment allegations and campus crackdown

The suicide, which occurred on Sunday, February 16, allegedly followed persistent harassment and blackmail by the deceased’s estranged boyfriend, Advik Shrivastava, a Mechanical Engineering student from Uttar Pradesh. Police arrested Shrivastava at Bhubaneswar Airport while he was attempting to flee the city.

However, tensions escalated further when protesting Nepali students accused the university of ignoring repeated complaints against Shrivastava. Instead of addressing their grievances, the university allegedly forcefully evicted them from hostels, with some students claiming they were physically assaulted by security guards and university staff.

In response to the growing backlash, the Odisha government arrested five KIIT staffers for assaulting students, suspended three senior university officials, including two hostel administrators, appointed a senior officer to oversee campus security and prevent further unrest.

High-level probe

The Odisha government has also formed a high-level fact-finding committee to investigate allegations that KIIT authorities mistreated Nepali students. The panel includes: additional Chief Secretary, Home Department; Principal Secretary, Women & Child Development Department; Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Higher Education Department.

“The institution has been placed under notice, and appropriate legal and administrative action will follow,” the state government said in a statement.

As the incident gained international attention, Nepali student unions staged massive protests in Kathmandu, demanding strict punishment for those responsible and diplomatic intervention. Demonstrators gathered outside the Indian Embassy, holding placards that read: “Safe campuses, not crime zones!” “Protect women, not criminals!”

The All Nepal National Free Students’ Union (ANNFSU-Revolutionary), associated with Nepal’s ruling CPN-Maoist Centre, demanded that India ensure a fair investigation, strict punishment for the accused, and compensation for the victim’s family.

KIIT official’s controversial remarks add fuel to fire

As tensions soared, a viral video of KIIT Additional Director Jayanti Nath making controversial remarks about Nepal’s GDP added further outrage. In the video, university officials were heard shouting at students during protests.

One woman was allegedly heard saying: “We are feeding and teaching over 40,000 students for free!” Another shouted: “That is more than your country’s budget!”

After widespread condemnation, Nath issued a public apology, claiming her words were a response to insults against India and not intended to demean Nepal. However, her apology did little to defuse tensions.

What’s Next?

As the probe into Prakriti Lamsal’s suicide unfolds, the case has ignited broader concerns about the safety and treatment of international students in India. The Odisha government has promised swift action, but with student protests growing both in India and Nepal, the diplomatic and political ramifications of the incident are far from over.