Bhubaneswar’s Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) witnessed protests after a 20-year-old Nepali engineering student was discovered dead in her hostel room on Sunday night. The student, Prakriti Lamsal, was a B.Tech Computer Science student.
Preliminary police investigations indicate suicide, and a batchmate has been held for questioning on charges of abetment.
Police Investigate, Batchmate Detained
The authorities acted quickly once the case was brought to light, and they sent the body for post-mortem examination at Capital Hospital. An FIR has been registered, and the police have opened an investigation into the events surrounding her death.
KIIT Registrar Jnyana Ranjan Mohanty said the death of the student was attributed to a strained relationship. The university also released a statement stating “University officials immediately informed the police, who have since taken a male student — believed to have been in a relationship with the deceased — into custody for questioning. It is believed that the student may have taken this step following a personal dispute/issue between them.”
Students Protest, Allege Negligence
After the unfortunate incident, Nepalese students in KIIT blocked roads along the campus, blaming the university administration for not doing anything. They claimed that Lamsal had earlier gone to the International Relations Office, complaining of harassment by her batchmate, but nothing was done.
University Orders Evacuation of Nepalese Students
In the face of increasing tensions, KIIT announced “sine die” for Nepalese students and directed them to leave the campus immediately. More than 500 students were taken to different railway stations on Monday, where they were asked to go back home.
The university asserted that due to the apprehensions of Nepalese students, negotiations with the administration took place. Following these discussions, the students eventually departed peacefully to their homes. Meanwhile, the campus has been placed under heavy police deployment in order to ensure order.
Authorities are still conducting their investigation to establish the complete details of the student’s death.