Investigation Intensifies into Nepali Student’s Alleged Suicide at KIIT

The investigation into the alleged suicide of a Nepali student at a hostel in Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) and the subsequent expulsion of Nepali students has intensified.

A high-level committee formed by the Odisha government has summoned KIIT founder Achyut Samanta to appear before it on Friday. In an official letter, the Higher Education Department requested Samanta to be present at the State Guest House at 6:30 PM on February 21 and submit relevant documents as evidence.

The three-member committee, led by Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department, Satyabrat Sahu, has been tasked with investigating multiple aspects of the case. These include the circumstances surrounding the student’s suicide, the arbitrary actions of the institute, selective issuance of notices to certain students, and the indefinite closure of the institute for the affected students.

Earlier, the committee visited KIIT on Wednesday and interacted with some of the Nepali students, particularly those who allegedly faced mistreatment by the institute’s staff during campus protests.

Odisha’s Higher Education Minister, Suryavanshi Suraj, emphasized that the committee has full legal authority to summon individuals and conduct the investigation as per the law. He further assured that the state government is committed to safeguarding student welfare and has engaged with the Nepali Embassy to discuss the matter with the affected students.

The unrest at KIIT erupted after the alleged suicide of 20-year-old Nepali student Prakriti Lamsal on Sunday afternoon. Following the incident, Nepali students staged protests demanding justice. In response, KIIT management issued suspension notices to nearly 1,000 Nepali students and ordered them to vacate the campus by Monday.

Authorities have arrested a 21-year-old engineering student on charges of abetting the suicide. Police Commissioner S. Dev Datta Singh confirmed that the student was caught at Biju Patnaik International Airport while attempting to flee the city. He has been accused of blackmailing and abusing the deceased student and has been placed in three-day custody.

In a further escalation, Odisha police arrested five KIIT employees on Thursday for allegedly assaulting Nepali students while they were vacating the hostel on the institute’s orders. With these arrests, the total number of detainees in the KIIT controversy has now reached 11, including the engineering student.