Nepal’s FM seeks thorough probe after KIIT Nepali student found dead in room

A 18-year-old Nepali undergraduate student found dead in her hostel room in Bhubaneswar’s Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) on Thursday

Updated on: May 2, 2025, 10:38:32 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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Bhubaneswar: The Nepal government is in contact with Indian diplomats to ensure a thorough investigation into the death of an 18-year-old Nepalese undergraduate student at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), foreign minister Arzu Rana Deuba has said.

This is the second such case in less than three months. (File Photo)

The student was found dead in her hostel room in Bhubaneswar’s KIIT on Thursday evening, the second such case in less than three months.

“The incident of a Nepali student studying at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology University in Odisha being found dead in her hostel room has left us deeply saddened. Discussions are ongoing with the Government of India and the Government of Odisha,” Deuba wrote on X.

The deceased was studying computer science and hails from Birgunj area of Nepal.

“Around 7pm, when attendance was being taken, the student concerned, who was alone in the room, did not respond. Upon checking, she was found hanging from a ceiling fan. We are conducting an investigation. Postmortem is being done today. We have not found any suicide note. The victim’s friends are being questioned for clues. An unnatural death case has been registered as no complaint has been received,” Bhubaneswar-Cuttack police commissioner S Dev Datta Singh said.

Shankar P Sharma, Ambassador of Nepal to India, wrote on X: “Deeply saddened by the tragic death of Nepali student, found in her hostel room at KIIT, Odisha. Heartfelt condolences to her family. Prayers for eternal peace. We are closely coordinating with MEA, Odisha Govt., police & the university for a thorough investigation.”

The Odisha government said that it extends its support to the family of the deceased and offers its condolences to them. “On receipt of the information, senior officers, including the commissioner of police and revenue divisional commissioner, rushed to the site to enquire into the circumstances leading to the unfortunate incident and take necessary action in the matter. The forensic team is at the spot to collect evidence. Investigative teams are working closely with university authorities to determine whether any external factors contributed to the tragedy,” an official of state information and public relations department said.

Also Read: Nepali student dies by suicide in Bhubaneswar’s KIIT hostel, second in 3 months

The death on the campus comes less than three months after a 20-year-old Nepali student, also studying computer science, died by suicide following alleged blackmail by her classmate which later escalated into a major crisis over some faculty members making racial and humiliating comments at the Nepali students.

The suspect, Advik Shrivastava, a third-year B Tech student was later arrested by Bhubaneswar police at the city airport while he was allegedly trying to flee. The university had faced flak for its handling of the case when university officials ordered over 1,000 Nepali students to leave the campus. The external affairs ministry had subsequently intervened which led the university switch to damage-control mode and issue apologies.

The National Human Rights Commission which probed the case, held the university responsible for the sequence of events that led the student to die by suicide. NHRC said the victim was sexually harassed by the accused and the subsequent inaction by the university’s International Relations Office violated the deceased’s right to equality and right to live with dignity and led to her suicide.

The Odisha government which formed a high powered committee headed by additional chief secretary home to probe into reports of misconduct, including the use of force, against students by KIIT officials on February 16 evening and February 17, is yet to submit its report.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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