KIIT Nepali Student Death: Girl’s Father Alleges Harassment and Emotional Blackmail
Bhubaneswar: The tragic death of a Nepali student at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar has sparked outrage, with her father, Sunil Lamsal, claiming that she was subjected to harassment and emotional blackmail, leading to her suicide.
“We just know that an investigation is being conducted. The post-mortem report will come soon. We have information that she was harassed and emotionally blackmailed, which led to her suicide,” Lamsal stated.
He also mentioned that while he had spoken with university officials, they did not provide any additional details. “Yesterday, we had a conversation with the university officials. They did not say anything, but the police and college administration are cooperating,” he added.
#WATCH | Bhubaneswar, Odisha: Sunil Lamsal, father of the Nepali girl student who died by suicide at KIIT University, says “We just know that an investigation is being done. The post-mortem report will come soon. We have the information that she was harassed and emotionally… pic.twitter.com/OJTEtrEFMU
— ANI (@ANI) February 18, 2025
Lamsal revealed that his family learned about the incident from his son, the deceased student’s brother, on February 16. He further asserted that the individual arrested in connection with the case is responsible for his daughter’s death. “Her brother is also studying here, and he informed us about the incident the day before yesterday. One person has been arrested, and I believe he is the reason behind all of this. Her phone, laptop, and diary have been given to the forensic department. The police administration and the government are helping us,” he said.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the situation, Lamsal condemned reports that some students had been asked to vacate the campus. “I heard that the students are being asked to leave, and this is not right. We demand justice and nothing else,” he stated. However, he also expressed faith in the Odisha government and police to ensure justice for his daughter.
“I have sent my daughter here for higher studies. We hope that the government will ensure justice. We have faith in the government and the police administration here. We hope to get justice,” he said.
The incident has ignited protests, with the student wing of Nepal’s Congress party organizing demonstrations in Kathmandu, demanding justice for the deceased student.
On February 17, KIIT issued a notice directing Nepali students to vacate the campus immediately after the discovery of the student’s body in her hostel. The notice stated: “The college was closed sine die for all international students from Nepal.” However, later that day, the university urged students to return and resume academic activities.
In an official statement, KIIT said: “There was an unfortunate incident which took place late in the evening yesterday on the KIIT campus. Immediately after the incident, the police investigated the matter and apprehended the culprit. The KIIT administration has taken all-out efforts to restore normalcy on the campus and in the hostels to resume academic activities.”
The Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police arrested a student from the institution in connection with the case. Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissioner Suresh Dev Datta Singh confirmed the incident, stating that authorities were alerted to the suicide of a third-year Computer Science student.
Nepal’s Prime Minister, KP Sharma Oli, commented on Monday that his government had taken note of the incident and was addressing it through diplomatic channels with India.
Meanwhile, the Odisha government on Tuesday constituted a high-level fact-finding committee to investigate the death. The committee includes the additional chief secretary of the home department, the principal secretary of the women and child development department, and the commissioner-cum-secretary of the higher education department.
According to an official notice, KIIT has been placed under observation, and appropriate legal and administrative action will follow based on the committee’s findings. “Reports of misconduct, including the use of force against students by private individuals, are being investigated, and those responsible shall be held accountable as per the law,” the notice stated.
The tragic incident has sparked widespread outrage among students, who are demanding justice and transparency from the college administration. Protesters are calling for the establishment of an independent student body to protect their rights and ensure safety on campus.