KIIT Student Death Row: NHRC Orders On-Spot Inquiry on Suicide of Prakriti Lamsal, Seeks Report Within 7 Days

Bhubaneswar: Almost a fortnight after the suicide of a 23-year-old Nepalese student Prakriti Lamsal at Bhubaneswar's Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has ordered an on-spot inquiry and has sought the report within seven days.

KIIT Student Death Row: NHRC Orders Probe, Seeks Report Before March 10

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has ordered an on-spot inquiry into the death of a Nepalese girl student at KIIT University in Odisha and asked its officials to submit a report by March 10. According to the commission, the provisions of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 must be kept in consideration during the investigation and the report must be sent within seven days, by March 10, 2025.

The order by the NHRC read, “Considering the seriousness of the matter, the commission directs the Registrar (Law) to proceed for an inquiry in KIIT University, Bhubaneswar to conduct an on-spot inquiry along with a team consisting of two officers from the investigation division, one not below the rank of SSP and one officer/official from Law Division, and submit its inquiry report to the Commission by 10th March, 2025.”

Also Read: Nepal Student Suicide At KIIT University: 3 Directors, 2 Guards Arrested Amid Protests

NHRC Acting on Complaint Filed By Another Nepalese Student of KIIT

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued an order in response to a complaint regarding the death of 20-year-old Prakriti Lamsal, who allegedly took her own life in her hostel room on February 16. The complainant, Ashutosh B, claimed that Prakriti Lamsal, a Nepalese student at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University, had been harassed by her ex-boyfriend and that the university’s International Relations Office (IRO) had failed to address her concerns, which led to her tragic suicide.

The petition also alleged that protests by Nepalese students demanding justice were met with verbal abuse, threats, and physical violence by KIIT officials and security guards. The complainant called on the commission to take action against KIIT officials, including founder Achyuta Samanta, for their failure to properly handle harassment complaints and their involvement in the exploitation of tribal students.

Also: KIIT Shocker: Video Shows How Students Broke Into Hostel and Found Nepali Girl Hanging

Who Was Prakriti Lamsal, What Happened With Her in KIIT?

Prakriti Lamsal was a third-year Computer Science student at Bhubaneswar's KIIT who was found dead in her hostel room on February 16 evening. A day after her alleged suicide, one engineering student of the Odisha university had been arrested on the charges of abetment of suicide; he has been in judicial custody since February 17.

Following Prakriti Lamsal's suicide, a total of ten KIIT employees abused other Nepalese students physically and verbally, and asked them to leave the hostel with immediate effect for staging protests and demanding justice for Prakriti Lamsal. After severe backlash, the KIIT authorities issued an apology; a high-level committee was set up by the Odisha government, and the Nepalese students have now been urged to return to KIIT and join classes. The Nepalese students have been assured of their safety and respect.

The issue escalated to a degree where the Nepal government interfered and the Nepal NHRC went on to urge its Indian counterpart to look into it and take necessary action for the protection of the Nepalese students.

(Inputs from PTI)