KATHMANDU, Feb 22: Nepali students are still living in fear due to the inhuman treatment they suffered at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT-KIT) University in Odisha, India. They are struggling as they no longer can trust the university's repeated calls to return. When they came to Nepal and spoke out about the injustice they faced, their need to wear masks and glasses clearly showed their terror.
At the press conference on Friday, the students raised a question: how can Nepali students feel safe in India under such circumstances? While discussing the university, their expressions clearly showed that they were mentally distressed, fearing further attacks. During the press conference, these young students emphasized that both the governments of Nepal and India should work together to address their suffering.
The students stated that the teachers, staff, and security guards at KIIT University have been searching for Nepali students and beating them, subjecting them to mental distress and violating their human rights. They also mentioned that the lack of guaranteed safety has prevented them from returning.
The students, who returned to Nepal, shared at the press conference that they felt unsafe both inside and outside the university. They expressed that even when the university urged them to return, no safe environment existed for them to do so.
"On one hand, Prakriti Lamsal had to endure the university’s negligence and the physical and mental stress caused by Indian student Advik Srivastava, which ultimately led to her tragic suicide. On the other hand, when we raised our voices for her justice, teachers, gym trainers, and security guards beat us with sticks and bottles," said one of the affected students. "What was our mistake? The people who teach us at the university are our mentors, yet they treated us like traitors, entering our rooms, beating us, and inflicting physical and mental torture. We were forcibly expelled from the university."
The students shared that the Odisha police investigation revealed that Srivastava’s torture caused Prakriti’s suicide. They explained that Prakriti had been in a relationship with Indian student Srivastava for the past three years, during which he repeatedly subjected her to mental and physical abuse.
Nepali students yet to return to KIIT hostel
At the press conference, another student from the same university shared that during their relationship, Prakriti's boyfriend, Srivastava, made obscene videos of her and repeatedly blackmailed her. The student also revealed that Prakriti had ingested poison before taking her own life. The students expressed concerns that Prakriti might not receive justice due to Srivastava’s political influence and protection, as he is the son of Manoj Srivastava, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The students, some in Nepal and others in Patna or Bhubaneswar, expressed dissatisfaction with Foreign Minister Arzu Deuba’s statement that "everything has been resolved," calling it an irresponsible comment. One student, who had been beaten and expelled from the university, said, "None of us who were beaten and expelled have returned. We are still enduring mental and physical torture. It is inappropriate for the Foreign Minister to claim everything is resolved. It is wrong to play with our emotions. The issue was partially heard due to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's post on social media, but it has not been resolved." Another student, beaten by a gym trainer, said, "We have spent our time and money at KIIT University. We need our educational certificates, but we cannot return to India without assurance of our safety."
He said they would return to the university only if the governments of Nepal and India reached an official agreement and provided written assurance of their safety. He also urged both governments to create such an environment.
Nepali students are demanding that all those responsible be brought under legal jurisdiction, as the university attempted to erase evidence by taking control of Prakriti's body, mobile phone, and laptop. One student, an eyewitness, stated, "The accused, Srivastava, knew about Prakriti’s suicide because they were talking on the phone that night. University staff are guilty in this matter."
He added, "It is wrong for the university to conduct an autopsy before the family arrives, to take the body to their own hospital without creating a police report, and to beat Nepali students who raise questions and demand justice as if they were traitors. It is completely wrong to use hired thugs to beat students, and then dump them in a jungle far from the city after putting them in a car. The teachers and wardens at the university made disrespectful comments not only about Nepali students but also about the nation of Nepal, making the university fully guilty."
The students stated that some teachers and staff who had beaten and insulted them developed negative feelings after the university took departmental action and they lost their jobs, which made them unable to assure their safety.
He stated that they could not return based solely on the university's request and emphasized that the university must receive a written agreement between the governments of Nepal and India to ensure the safety of 1,500 Nepali students. "We raised the issue of Prakriti Lamsal, but even before that, eight students from different semesters had died. The university suppressed these incidents. They also tried to silence us. They reset our phones, broke our laptops, and subjected us to a great deal of stress," he said.
He added that although Prakriti submitted two requests to the university's International Relations Office (IRO) to address complaints from foreign students, the office took no action. "This caused Prakriti additional mental stress," another affected student said. "The lack of response from the department seems to have led to Prakriti’s tragic decision to take her own life."
They found her dead in her room on Sunday evening, and he described the incident as an extreme violation of human rights. "We, the Nepali students, were forcibly expelled from the hostel and beaten by the gym trainer. Teachers entered our rooms and beat us on the sofa. We believed we would be safe with the coordinator, but there, too, everyone joined in to beat us. Even now, it is difficult for me to straighten my neck. In such a situation, how can anyone say that everything has been resolved without even speaking to the affected students?"
University staff members, who were reportedly arrested, have been released on bail, further terrifying the students. During the press conference, nearly a dozen students participated, though it was clear not everyone was mentally prepared to attend. Still, they spoke out for justice in the media.
Students shared that the ongoing abuse at the university was unbearable. "The gym trainer threatened us with a knife, saying he would kill us if we didn’t vacate the hostel within two hours," one student said. "When I filmed my friend being beaten, the gym trainer kicked me in the face, causing me to bleed. The university staff committed such low-level human rights violations against us. They must face legal consequences."
The Bhubaneswar police arrested the accused, Srivastava, and began the investigation. While the police have seized all evidence from the university as per the students' demands, Nepali students remain unsure whether Prakriti will receive justice. KIIT University issued a press release stating that it is working to resolve the issue and has invited students who wish to return to the hostel. However, Nepali students feel unsafe and remain uncertain about whether to return.
Indian govt expresses sorrow over the death of Prakriti Lamsal
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has expressed sorrow over the death of Nepali student Prakriti Lamsal, who studied at the KIIT in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
In the ministry's weekly media briefing, spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal expressed the Indian government's sorrow over the death of Prakriti Lamsal. "We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Nepali student Prakriti Lamsal. We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family," Jaiswal said, as reported by BBC Hindi. "The Indian government prioritizes the safety of all international students in the country."
Spokesperson Jaiswal stated that since the incident became public, India’s Ministry of External Affairs has maintained continuous contact with the Odisha government and KIIT University officials. He also mentioned that they are coordinating with Nepali officials. On February 16, Prakriti Lamsal, a Nepali student in the third year of B.Tech at KIIT University, was found dead, and reports of abuse against other students also surfaced.
