On February 16, 2025, a shocking incident at KIIT University in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, sparked widespread protests and international attention. Prakriti Lamsal, a third-year B.Tech Computer Science student from Nepal, was found dead in her hostel room. While initial reports suggested suicide, subsequent revelations pointed toward harassment allegations against a fellow student, Advik Shrivastava.
Before her death, Lamsal had lodged formal complaints against Shrivastava, a third-year Mechanical Engineering student, citing harassment and emotional blackmail. However, the university administration allegedly failed to take adequate action. Following her passing, an audio recording surfaced in which Shrivastava was purportedly heard verbally abusing her. This led to his arrest at Biju Patnaik International Airport while he was allegedly attempting to flee.
Lamsal’s death triggered an outpouring of anger among students, particularly those from Nepal. Protests erupted on campus, demanding justice and accountability from the administration. Instead of addressing the grievances, the university took an unexpected and widely criticized step, ordering the immediate eviction of all Nepali students from the campus.
Over 500 Nepali students were reportedly forced to vacate their hostels, with some alleging mistreatment by security personnel. The move led to further outrage, with videos and testimonies circulating online. The incident soon caught the attention of Nepal’s Prime Minister, KP Sharma Oli, who dispatched officials to Bhubaneswar to assess the situation and support the affected students.
As outrage mounted, KIIT University came under severe criticism from students, human rights organizations, and Nepali authorities. Under pressure, the administration rescinded its eviction order and issued a formal apology.To mitigate damage, the university announced the termination of two security personnel involved in the forced evictions and suspended several other officials pending an internal inquiry. Despite this, concerns regarding the handling of harassment complaints and student safety remained a hot topic of discussion.
This tragic case has reignited debates on student safety, mental health support, and administrative accountability in Indian universities. It has also highlighted the challenges faced by international students, especially in cases of harassment where institutional response is often inadequate.With investigations still underway, students and activists continue to demand justice for Prakriti Lamsal, urging universities across India to implement stronger mechanisms to address complaints of harassment and ensure safer environments for students from all backgrounds.