KIIT Student Suicide: Staff Apologizes

Aakhir Tak – In Shorts

Outrage on KIIT Bhubaneswar campus after the suicide of a Nepali student.
Staff publicly apologized for insensitive remarks made against Nepal.
Student’s ex-boyfriend accused of abetment of suicide, now in police custody.
Over 500 Nepali students protested, leading the institute to issue an apology.
KIIT administration is actively persuading students to return to campus.

Aakhir Tak – In Depth

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The alleged suicide of a Nepali student at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar sparked massive protests on campus. During the protests, videos of university staff’s confrontation with the demonstrators went viral. The university staff have now issued apologies over the insensitive remarks made against Nepal and Nepalese students. The student suicide has raised serious questions about campus safety.

In a video, two university officials were purportedly heard shouting at the students. “We are feeding and teaching over 40,000 students for free,” a woman said. “That is more than your country’s budget,” shouted another. These comments further inflamed the students’ anger.

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A day after the viral video sparked outrage, Jayanti Nath, joint director of girls’ hostel and student affairs, released a video apology. She, however, added that her remarks were made in response to comments allegedly calling India “corrupt, poor”. Nath stated that her intention was never to offend or demean anyone. She deeply regretted if her words caused unintended hurt to anyone’s sentiment. She emphasized that her words did not reflect the views of the university or any of the faculties.

Manjusa Pandey, an associate professor, also offered an apology in a video. Pandey said she was making the video to apologize for the statements she made on February 16th in the spur of the moment. She clarified that her statements had nothing to do with KIIT university. She sincerely apologized if any of her statements had hurt the sentiments of any Nepali students or people of Nepal. The KIIT administration expressed its sadness over the death of the Nepali student.

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Meanwhile, following the uproar over the B Tech student’s suicide, KIIT said it had suspended three officials, including two hostel staffers, for allegedly misbehaving with some Nepali students and evicting them from the campus during protests. This action was taken in response to the students’ demands.

What Happened at KIIT?

Prakriti Lamsal, a third-year BTech student, was found dead in her hostel room on Sunday evening. Prakriti’s friends alleged that harassment by her ex-boyfriend, identified as Advik Srivastava, drove her to take the extreme step. The student’s father also alleged that his daughter was “harassed and emotionally blackmailed”. The police are investigating the student suicide case.

The police filed a case based on a complaint by Prakriti’s brother, and Advik Srivastava was arrested. He is in police custody and has been charged with abetment of suicide under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The suicide triggered protests by over 500 Nepali students on the campus. The matter escalated when the college authorities attempted to forcibly evict some students from the campus, leading to diplomatic intervention. The Nepal government also took notice of the situation.

On Tuesday, KIIT issued an apology, and the institute said the authorities were “actively persuading” students to return to the campus as soon as possible. “A dedicated control room is operational 24×7 at KIIT Campus 6 to facilitate the return of Nepali students,” a statement by KIIT said. KIIT stated that it is taking the matter seriously and will take steps to prevent such incidents in the future.

Aakhir Tak – Key Takeaways to Remember

Controversy arose from the suicide of Nepali student Prakriti Lamsal at KIIT Bhubaneswar.
Staff apologized for comments made about Nepal during the protests.
Ex-boyfriend Advik Srivastava arrested on charges of abetment of suicide.
Over 500 Nepali students protested; KIIT issued an apology.
KIIT is working to bring students back, with a 24/7 control room established.