The Odisha government has directed KIIT authorities to take strict action against employees involved in the mistreatment of Nepalese students following the recent suicide of a Nepalese girl while the University Grants Commission (UGC) has also sought an explanation from the varsity.

Tensions flared on February 17, the day after the body of 20-year-old Nepalese student Prakriti Lamsal was found in her hostel room. Most hostel residents were participating in the institute’s foundation day celebrations when her body was discovered.

Soon after the suicide came to light Nepalese students clashed with KIIT staff over being refused permission to see the body. This led to violent altercations. Allegedly, several students were forcibly evicted from hostels and abandoned at a railway station far from Bhubaneswar without tickets.

The Odisha government stepped in after Nepal’s Foreign Minister, Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba, expressed concerns to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi about the incident. She called for the removal of teachers and staff who had misbehaved with Nepalese students. Odisha directs KIIT to act against staff mistreating Nepalese students. The Nepalese government also feared vengeance if the alleged perpetrators remain at KIIT.

Meanwhile, the police have arrested 10 staff so far in relation to the officials and KIIT apologised and suspended the officials.

A senior government official said that KIIT management was asked to restore confidence among Nepalese students as many are yet to return to campus despite assurances from the government.

Following the incident, police reviewed CCTV footage and arrested ten KIIT employees, including senior officials and security personnel, for assaulting students. In response, the institute terminated two security staff members and suspended three senior officials, including a hostel administrator and an International Relations Office (IRO) officer, pending inquiry. KIIT authorities also issued an apology, acknowledging the distress caused by their staff’s actions.

Of the 1,000 Nepalese students at KIIT, a small number have returned to campus. Many continue to feel fearful after enduring what one student referred to as a “traumatic experience” of being forcibly evicted from their hostels.

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