Prakriti Lamsal Obituary, Suicide; engineering student Prakriti Lamsal from Nepal ‘dies by suicide’ at Odisha university
The Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar became the center of widespread protests following the tragic death of 20-year-old Prakriti Lamsal, a B.Tech student from Nepal. Prakriti was found dead in her hostel room on Sunday evening, sparking outrage among the student community, particularly international students from Nepal, who alleged negligence by the university administration in addressing her concerns prior to the incident.
According to the police, preliminary investigations suggest that Prakriti died by suicide. A male batchmate from the same university, who was reportedly in a relationship with her, has been detained for questioning in connection with the case. The authorities have filed a First Information Report (FIR) under relevant sections related to abetment of suicide. Following standard procedures, a police team visited the hostel, conducted an initial inquiry, and sent the body for post-mortem examination at Capital Hospital. The body will be handed over to her family once formalities are completed.
However, what began as a police investigation quickly escalated into student protests. A large number of Nepalese students gathered near the KIIT campus, blocking the road and demanding justice for Prakriti. They accused the university of inaction, stating that she had previously approached the International Relations Office, flagging concerns about harassment from her batchmate. The protesting students insisted that had the university intervened earlier, this tragedy could have been prevented.
In response, KIIT Registrar Jnyana Ranjan Mohanty denied any institutional negligence. He claimed that the incident stemmed from a strained personal relationship rather than any systemic failure on the university’s part. The university issued an official statement confirming that the police had been promptly informed, and the detained student was being questioned. The statement further suggested that Prakriti’s death may have been the result of a personal dispute between the two individuals involved.
As the protests intensified, police were deployed on campus to restore order. In a controversial move, the university administration declared a “sine die” closure for all Nepalese international students. This meant that over 500 students from Nepal were instructed to vacate their hostels immediately on Monday. University-arranged buses transported them to various railway stations, from where they were asked to return home. This sudden decision led to further distress among students, who viewed it as an attempt to suppress their voices rather than address their concerns.
