On Wednesday, high-ranking diplomats from Nepal’s embassy in New Delhi met with students from Nepal on campus and assured them that similar incidents would not occur again.
In Odisha, the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) has introduced a scholarship to honor the memory of a 20-year-old Nepalese student who died allegedly by suicide in her hostel room on February 16, an incident that caused campus unrest.
According to a statement from the institute, Achyuta Samanta, the founder of KIIT and KISS, announced this on Wednesday after meeting with the father and uncle of the deceased student and offering his heartfelt condolences.
“A scholarship would be instituted in her name as a tribute to her memory,” Samanta said. On Wednesday, high-ranking representatives from Nepal’s embassy in New Delhi met with students from their nation on campus, providing assurances that similar incidents would not occur again.
“KIIT has implemented proactive measures to assist those who have not yet returned,” the statement said.
Samanta also had conversations with Nepal’s Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba and Minister for Water Supply Pradeep Yadav, assuring them of KIIT’s commitment to ensuring the safe return of all students.
Earlier on Wednesday, the body of the late student was delivered to Nepal after legal proceedings were completed, officials said.
KIIT Suicide Row: What happened?
Prakriti Lamsal was in her third year of BTech studies in Computer Science at KIIT. It is alleged that she took her own life after being harassed by Advik Srivastava, a 21-year-old mechanical engineering student from the same institute. The alleged perpetrator, reportedly the son of a Lucknow politician, was detained for aiding and abetting suicide and is currently in judicial custody.
In the wake of the incident, tensions escalated as certain Nepalese students charged university authorities with mismanaging the situation. Reports indicated that a significant number of them were compelled to exit the campus without adequate warning, which resulted in additional outrage.
KIIT suicide row: Strained diplomatic relations
This case raised diplomatic concerns between India and Nepal, with the government of Nepal cautioning that it might rethink its student transfers to Indian institutions if justice is not upheld. In order to guarantee the safety of students, Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli intervened by dispatching embassy officials. Lawmakers in Nepal also brought up the matter in their Parliament, calling for an equitable investigation.
In the meantime, in India, the issue turned into a political matter within the Assembly of Odisha. There was a confrontation between the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the BJP regarding accusations of mishandling the case and KIIT’s involvement in politics.
KIIT suicide row: Institution’s contrition
Following the outcry, KIIT expressed regret and implemented disciplinary measures. Due to their management of the demonstrations, three university officials were suspended and two security guards were let go. A high-ranking official, who reportedly overlooked Prakriti’s earlier complaints, was also suspended.
A viral audio recording, purportedly of the accused staff member speaking disrespectfully about Prakriti and her mother, intensified the protests. The authenticity of the clip, however, has yet to be verified. Nepalese students also alleged that security personnel employed violence against them, with footage of confrontations spreading online
To address another controversy, KIIT suspended employees who had made inappropriate remarks likening the university’s budget to that of Nepal’s national economy. These employees later expressed public remorse.
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