February 17, 2025: Massive protests erupted at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar following the alleged suicide of a Nepali student in the university hostel. The deceased, identified as Prakriti Lamsal, a third-year B.Tech student, was found dead in her room on Sunday evening.

Outraged students, including a large number of Nepali nationals, accused the university administration of attempting a cover-up and condemned what they called an arbitrary directive for Nepali students to vacate the campus. The protesters demanded a fair and transparent investigation into the incident.

Reports suggest that Prakriti's alleged suicide was linked to harassment by her ex-boyfriend, Advik Srivastava, a fellow student at KIIT. Her family has lodged a police complaint, leading to his arrest on charges of abetment of suicide under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

As tensions escalated, hundreds of students gathered on campus, chanting slogans such as "We Want Justice." Videos circulating online showed heated confrontations between students and university officials. One such clip allegedly featured a KIIT official making a controversial remark, stating, “We are feeding and teaching over 40,000 students for free, and that is more than your country’s budget.” However, India Today has not independently verified the authenticity of this video.

In response to the escalating situation, heavy police deployment was made on the university premises to prevent further unrest.

The university administration, in an official statement, confirmed the student’s death, suggesting that it may have been related to a personal relationship issue. The authorities also announced the immediate closure of the university for Nepali international students, instructing them to vacate their hostels.

However, this directive was met with severe criticism, with students questioning the rationale behind the mass eviction. "How can we be expected to leave on such short notice?" one Nepali student asked. Meanwhile, reports emerged that university security personnel had restricted some students from leaving their hostels.

On Monday, visuals from Cuttack Railway Station showed groups of Nepali students being transported in buses and left at the station. “We were just told to vacate the hostel and were dropped at the railway station,” one student stated.

Police officials investigating the matter suggested that a recent argument between Prakriti and her ex-boyfriend might have been a triggering factor. "Her roommate mentioned that she had a heated exchange with her boyfriend in the morning before the incident," a senior officer said.

As protests continue, students demand justice for Prakriti and call for greater accountability from the university administration regarding student welfare and safety.