After massive outrage in Nepal over the death of a B-Tech student at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar, Nepal’s Ambassador to India, Shankar Sharma, has urged students to return and resume their studies, stating that he is satisfied with the government’s actions on the matter.
‘Pleased with the steps taken’: Sharma
Speaking exclusively to CNN News18, Sharma emphasised that he is satisfied and pleased with the steps taken by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Odisha government.
“We want Nepali students to return. Many of them have already come back. Staff at the institute has been suspended. My appeal is that Indian and Nepali students should treat each other like brothers. There are 20,000 Nepali students in various institutes across India,” Sharma told CNN News18.
Sharma stressed the close cultural ties between India and Nepal.
He urged Nepali students to “come back and resume studies because the government and the university will fully cooperate, not only in areas of safety but also by offering counselling.”
Suspected suicide
Twenty-year-old Prakriti Lamsal was a third-year B-Tech student at KIIT in Bhubaneswar.
She was found dead on the university campus on February 16 in a suspected suicide. The incident has sparked massive outrage in Nepal and drawn attention from both Nepalese and Indian authorities. Her family alleges she faced harassment and emotional blackmail from fellow student Advik Srivastava, who has since been arrested and is under investigation.
Protests in KIIT
Following her death, protests erupted among Nepali students at KIIT, prompting the university to declare an indefinite closure and order the evacuation of hostels. The protesting students were also allegedly manhandled by the university officials.
Impact Shorts
View AllArrests, VC issues apology
Three university officials and three security guards were arrested after the incident. In response to the outcry, KIIT’s Vice-Chancellor issued a public apology and announced the suspension of the involved officials.
Nepal PM intervene
Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has intervened in the KIIT case. In response to the action against the protesters, Prime Minister Oli has activated diplomatic channels to ensure a thorough investigation and the safety of Nepali students in India.