KATHMANDU, May 3: After finding the body of a Nepali student at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in India, the University Grants Commission (UGC) formed a fact-finding committee.
The UGC appointed a four-member committee and named Nageshwar Rao, former Vice-Chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), as its chair. According to Indian media reports, the committee must submit its report within 10 days.
The committee will investigate the deaths of two Nepali students and recommend measures to enhance student welfare, strengthen safety regulations, and prevent such incidents. It will also assess KIIT's mental health support system.
On May 1, hostel staff discovered the body of Prisha Shah, a first-year B.Tech Computer Science Engineering student, hanging from the ceiling fan in her room. In February, another Nepali student, Prakriti Lamsal, had died by suicide.
Probe Prisha's Death Thoroughly
The Government of India has maintained contact with Nepali officials, the state government, and the KIIT administration regarding the matter.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs stated that it has remained in regular contact with the Odisha government regarding the recent incident.
The Ministry of External Affairs stated that the Government of India treats the safety and welfare of all international students with utmost seriousness. It has maintained real-time communication and coordination with Nepali officials, the Odisha government, and the KIIT administration on the matter.
Meanwhile, Nepal's Foreign Minister, Arzu Rana Deuba, announced that the government has launched diplomatic efforts following the incident. The Nepali Embassy in Delhi has coordinated with senior officials from both the Indian central and state governments to support the investigation.
Earlier, on February 16, authorities found the body of Prakriti Lamsal, a third-year B.Tech student, in her hostel at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT). They reported her death as a suicide. After the incident, other international students at the college protested against the university administration.
Students accused an Indian classmate of harassing Prakriti Lamsal and claimed he was her boyfriend. They said the university ignored their formal complaint and failed to take action against him. They also accused the university of trying to suppress the issue.
After receiving a complaint from Prakriti's uncle's cousin, the police arrested the accused Indian student and charged him with abetment of suicide. The police also detained about 10 other individuals, including three university directors.
The Odisha government formed a high-level fact-finding committee to investigate the case. The committee includes the additional chief secretary of the Home Department, the principal secretary of the Women and Child Development Department, and the commissioner-cum-ecretary of the Higher Education Department.