Priyanka Chaturvedi gives her statement on the KIIT University student suicide. | (Photo Courtesy: ANI)
Bhubaneswar: The reported suicide of a 20-year-old Nepali student, Prakriti Lamsal, in the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) has sparked massive outrage. Amid widespread protests by the students, political leaders have also weighed in on the issue.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter) on February 18, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi conveying her dismay, wrote that it is “unfortunate” that the Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had to step in to raise concerns about the incident.
“A Nepali girl commits suicide because she is being harassed by her former boyfriend (if you have heard his abusive clip you’d understand what kind of toxic person he was), the students come out in protest and the insensitive staff of #KIITUniversity instead of justice asks all Nepali students to leave the campus. Won’t share the video of their sick, pathetic disparaging comments to the Nepali student protestors but suffice to say the need to be punished for gross insensitivity and mismanagement. Unfortunate that it took PM of Nepal to step in to raise this,” she wrote.
Have a look at her tweet here:
KP Sharma Oli’s Statement
Taking to social media, PM Sharma Oli wrote, “It has come to our attention through media and social media that a Nepali student has died in the hostel of Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University in Odisha and that Nepali students have been forcibly evicted from the hostel. The government is working on this matter through diplomatic channels and is in contact with the relevant authorities.”
Have a look:
(Photo Courtesy: X)
Earlier on February 17, he tweeted, “Our Embassy in New Delhi has dispatched two officers to counsel Nepali students affected in Odisha. Additionally, arrangements have been made to ensure they have the option to either remain in their hostel or return home, based on their preference.”
About the Case
Lamsal, a third-year BTech student, was found dead in her hostel room on February 16. Following her tragic death, serious allegations emerged suggesting that she had been subjected to harassment and blackmail by a fellow 21-year-old student, Advik Srivastava from Lucknow.
The incident sparked widespread outrage among the Nepali student community at the university, leading to large-scale protests involving more than 500 students. The demonstrations intensified when university officials reportedly attempted to force Nepali students to vacate the campus instead of addressing their concerns. The situation has since escalated, drawing intervention from the Nepalese government, while Indian authorities have also been compelled to respond to the growing outcry.
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