A first-year Nepalese student at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar was found dead in her hostel room on Thursday evening. This is the second death of a Nepalese student at the university in the last three months.

The student was enrolled in the B.Tech Computer Science program and belonged to Birgunj, a city located about 135 km from Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu. Her body was discovered hanging from the ceiling fan in her room at one of KIIT’s girls’ hostels.

The incident was reported to the police and university officials around 8:00 pm. Forensic teams were soon dispatched to examine the scene and gather evidence. Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissioner Suresh Dev Datta Singh confirmed the recovery of the body and said that, for now, the case is being treated as a suspected suicide.

"Today, we have received information that a girl from Nepal has died by suicide at KIIT University. We reached there and investigated the matter. A detailed investigation will be conducted into the matter. The scientific team arrived, and all the necessary details were collected. Her family has been informed. The body has been sent to AIIMS for the post-mortem," said Singh.

After the incident, security was increased in and around the university. The news has once again raised serious concerns about the safety of international students, especially those from Nepal, living at the university.

This incident has occurred just three months after the death of another Nepalese student, Prakriti Lamsal, who was found dead in her hostel room on February 16. She was a third-year B.Tech student. Her death had triggered widespread protests by Nepalese students and strong public criticism of KIIT.

Later, it was revealed that Prakriti had filed a sexual harassment complaint against a fellow student with the university’s International Relations Office (IRO). However, the university did not take any prompt action on her complaint. Following her death, several students and civil society groups accused the university of neglecting the issue.

The National Human Rights Commission of India had also strongly criticised the university, calling its inaction “gross negligence”. The accused student in that case was arrested one day after Prakriti's death.

Many people are now questioning the university’s role again after this second death.

Government and students react: Nepal seeks investigation

Odisha’s Department of Information and Public Relations gave a statement after the new death. It said, “The parents of the girl were informed about the incident immediately by the university authorities. In this hour of distress, the state government extends its support to the family of the deceased and offers its condolences to them.”

Nepal’s Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba also responded. In a post on social media platform X, she confirmed that Nepal had contacted Indian officials through diplomatic channels to ask for a full and clear investigation.

"Immediately after the incident, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs initiated diplomatic initiatives to investigate the truth of the incident through high-ranking officials of the Government of India, the Government of Odisha, and the Nepali Embassy in Delhi," Ms Deuba wrote.

She also shared her sadness, saying, "The death has deeply saddened us. I pray for eternal peace for her soul and extend heartfelt sympathies to her grieving family."

Student groups demand answers and action

The Akhil Bharat Nepali Ekta Samaj, a group representing Nepalese students, said the two deaths show a “disturbing pattern”.

"We demand an impartial and speedy investigation. This is not an isolated case. Two Nepali girls have died in the same hostel within three months. There must be answers, and if anyone is responsible—whether through action or inaction—they must face consequences," said spokesperson Samar Bahadur.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a national student group linked to the RSS, also demanded a full investigation.

"This is the second suicide in the same hostel building involving a Nepalese student. The authorities cannot continue to ignore these tragedies. We demand a full investigation and transparency from the university," said the ABVP spokesperson in Bhubaneswar.

 

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