Bhubaneswar: Days after a Nepali student died at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar, protests erupted Tuesday in Kathmandu, where members of the student wing of the Nepali Congress party were seen demonstrating in a viral video.
Protesters were seen holding banners with slogans such as “We demand immediate action” and “We want a fair investigation.”
In an X post, the Youth Congress Nepal shared: “Youth Congress Nepal urged NSUI & NSUI Odisha to support Nepali students facing harassment. We appreciate NSUI Odisha’s strong stance. Justice & safety must be ensured!”
Youth Congress Nepal urged NSUI & NSUI Odisha to support Nepali students facing harassment. We appreciate NSUI Odisha’s strong stance. Justice & safety must be ensured! #JusticeForPrakritilamsal #StandWithStudents #PrakritiLamsal #KIITUniversity #NepaliStudents pic.twitter.com/4wRIPif3PL
— Youth Congress Nepal (@YouthCongressNP) February 18, 2025
They have also expressed concern over the death of the Nepali student and have demanded a fair investigation.
प्रकृति लम्सालको मृत्यु प्रकरणमा निष्पक्ष छानबिन होस्! नेपाल र भारत सरकार, मानव अधिकार संघसंस्था तथा सरोकारवालाहरूले यस विषयलाई गम्भीरतापूर्वक लिनुपर्छ।
न्यायको सुनिश्चितता होस्! निष्पक्ष छानबिन होस्! pic.twitter.com/VK3DFWlpae— Youth Congress Nepal (@YouthCongressNP) February 17, 2025
It can be mentioned here that a 20-year-old Nepali student at KIIT allegedly died by suic*de in her hostel. The deceased, identified as Prakriti Lamsal, was a third-year BTech student.
Lamsal’s cousin filed a complaint at the Infocity police station in Bhubaneswar, alleging that she hanged herself in her hostel room Sunday. He claimed that a boy student at the university had been blackmailing his sister, which he believed led to her suic*de. Later in the day, police arrested Advik Srivastava, identified as Lamsal’s “ex-boyfriend.”
The student’s death led to tension on campus. As the situation escalated, KIIT authorities allegedly evicted several Nepali students from the hostel and dropped them at Cuttack railway station without making any arrangements for their travel.
Some students claimed, “We had no food, water, or money to purchase train tickets.”
Many students boarded the Puri-Patna Express train in a general compartment, unable to secure reservations, they said.
Following the alleged eviction, the father of the Nepali student Tuesday said that the private engineering institute “mistreated” undergraduates from the neighbouring country.
However, the intervention of Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli offered some relief to the distressed students.
Later in the day, KIIT appealed, “We urge all our Nepali students who have left or are considering leaving the campus to return and resume their classes.”
PNN & Agencies
