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KIIT Student Suicide: Allegations of Harassment and Institutional Negligence Spark Outrage
On 16 February 2025, Prakriti Lamsal, a 20-year-old third-stuent of B.Tech, of Nepal, was found dead in her room at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The event has elicited strong outrage and deep anxieties regarding student safety, as well as to what extent the relevant institutions have strong mechanisms to address such events.
Allegations of Harassment and Blackmail
Accounts show that Lamsal had been relentlessly harassed and blackmailed by her classmate Advik Srivastava, a 21-year-old batchmate of her from Lucknow. A recording has been reported, supposedly recording a phone call in which Srivastava employs derogatory words to extort a bribe from Lamsal, while she keeps on apologizing. This recording has fueled public outrage and the management of complaints of sexual harassment is now under scrutiny at the university.
Lamsal reportedly went several times to the International Relations Office (IRO) at KIIT to lodge complaints regarding Srivastava’s behaviour. Nevertheless, the university response was reportedly restricted to counselling sessions and imposing warnings, which a lot of people think is not enough with the gravity of the accusations today.
Institutional Response and Student Protests
After Lamsal’s demise, over 500 Nepali students in KIIT came to the streets and staged protests, obstructing the road and demanding justice for their mate. In a controversial move, the university administration initially ordered all Nepali students to vacate the campus, a decision widely criticized as racially insensitive and retaliatory. This act provoked the intervention of the Nepalese government, Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli has dispatched embassy officials to Bhubaneswar to take charge of the case, i.e.
Facing mounting diplomatic pressure and public criticism, KIIT rescinded the eviction order, allowing Nepali students to return to their hostels and resume academic activities. The state government of Odisha state has also assured to conduct a discreet inquiry into the issue and the presence of international students in a healthy and safe situation inside the campus.
Legal Actions and Ongoing Investigation
Based on the account of the law enforcement agencies, Advik Srivastava was arrested who was allegedly trying to flee the city. He has been booked under Section 108 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for the abetment suicide. Investigators have seized Lamsal’s cellular phone and computer for further evidence in this case.
The conference has launched a broader discussion on the place of educational institutions to address complaints of harassment and to protect students. Under scrutiny, there is a shared expectation for justice for Prakriti Lamsal and, conversely, the implementation of systems changes to prevent it from happening again.