Who was Prakriti Lamsal? How Nepali student's death at Odisha's KIIT turned into a diplomatic row

 Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli urged the Indian government to intervene in the issue after several Nepali students were evicted

Security personnel deployed at the the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) after tensions flared up following the alleged suicide of a girl student from Nepal, in Bhubaneswar | Odisha

The Week, February 18, 2025  :  With the suicide of a Nepali student at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar erupting into widespread protests amid mistreatment towards agitating students by hostel staffers, Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has stepped in.

Oli urged the Indian government to intervene in the forced eviction of Nepali students, following which the country's embassy in New Delhi sent two officials to counsel the students at the institute.

Letter of Apology from the Vice-Chancellor, KIIT-DU

KIIT has always been a home to students from across the world, fostering a culture of inclusivity, respect, and care. We deeply regret the recent incident and reaffirm our commitment to the safety, dignity, and well-being of… pic.twitter.com/mJb1Zo9jGj

— KIIT - Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (@KIITUniversity) February 18, 2025

Who was Prakriti Lamsal?

Prakriti Lamsal, hailing from Nepal, was a third-year BTech student at KIIT University in Bhubaneswar. The 20-year-old student killed herself on Sunday. 

Following the incident, Lamsal's friends alleged that her ex-boyfriend Advik Srivastava threatened to release the initimate photos and videos of Lamsal, leading her to take the extreme step.

A phone call between the duo that leaked online brought to light how Srivastava hurled expletives at Lamsal who can be heard crying. 

Bhubaneswar police arrested Srivastava while he trying to get on flight to his hometown, Lucknow.

#BREAKING: Nepali students protest outside the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu after mistreatment faced by students at KIIT University in Odisha, India. Prakriti Lamsal, a third-year B Tech student from Nepal, died by suicide at the University after facing molestation by a student. pic.twitter.com/iIfx78RaW5

— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) February 17, 2025

Student alleged that Lamsal had approached the international relations office at KIIT over continuous blackmail and harassment by Srivastava. However, the authorities allegedly ignored her complaints.

The KIIT staff evicted Nepali students from the campus, following which the Nepal government intervened. However, amid diplomatic pressure, the university issued a statement, expressing regret. "We are also regretful of the way some of us behaved with the agitating students. We love our students and had never done any disservice to them," KIIT stated in its letter of apology.

KIIT has suspended two senior hostel staff and an administrative officer of the international relations office. It has also set up a control room to facilitate the return of the evicted students.

One of the KIIT professors, identified as Manjusha Pandey, drew flak for saying the university fed and educated 40,000 students for free. Amid protests, Pandey has apologised for her spur-of-the-moment remark.