New Delhi: Tension gripped Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Odisha’s Bhubaneswar on Monday after a third-year BTech girl student from Nepal studying there was found dead under mysterious circumstances on the campus. The authorities claimed that she allegedly died by suicide over “strained relationship with her partner”. Several Nepalese students staged protest against the college authorities, demanding justice. Following the tension, two platoons of police force, each consisting of 30 personnel, were stationed to maintain law and order on the campus.
Cousin files complaint
The deceased was identified as Prakriti Lamsal from Nepal. Her cousin reportedly lodged a complaint at Infocity police station in Bhubaneswar alleging that his sister took her own life in her hostel room on Sunday. He suspected that another male student from the university was blackmailing his sister, which led her to hang herself. The male is reportedly a third-year Mechanical Engineering student from the same university.
Based on the cousin’s complaint, the accused male student has reportedly been taken into custody for interrogation. The police have confiscated the deceased woman’s mobile phone, laptop, and other electronic devices. They have launched an investigation into the incident.
‘Love affair’ suspected
In a statement, KIIT said: “A Nepali student studying in the third year of B-Tech committed suicide in the hostel yesterday. It is suspected that the student was in a love affair with another student studying at KIIT. It is suspected that the student may have committed suicide due to some reason.” The KIIT said that the incident was immediately reported to the police.
Students sent to their respective homes
Due to mild tension among the Nepali students at KIIT following the girl’s death, the university authorities held a discussion with the protesting foreign students. The Registrar’s office issued a notice directing all Nepali students to vacate the campus. The KIIT said, “Keeping in view the situation, the Nepal students have been sent to their respective homes. The situation presently remains calm.”
