Kathmandu: Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has reacted to the recent incident at Odisha's top university where a female student allegedly died by suicide. In a social media post, Oli said that the Nepalese Embassy in New Delhi has sent two officers to counsel the students affected in Odisha. He said that the arrangements were made with two options-- either remain in their hostel or return home.

"Our Embassy in New Delhi has dispatched two officers to counsel Nepali students affected in Odisha. Additionally, arrangements have been made to ensure they have the option to either remain in their hostel or return home, based on their preference," PM Oli wrote on X. 

Indian Embassy responds 

Responding to the controversy, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu issued a statement where it extended heartful condolence to the tragic death of the Nepali student in Odisha. It said that the embassy has been in touch with the university authorities as well as with the state government.

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"The Embassy extends its heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased during this difficult time. The Embassy has been in touch with the authorities of KIIT as well as the Odisha State Government. The Embassy has been informed that the local authorities have initiated an investigation into the unfortunate incident," it said.

 

What happened at KIIT University?

The KIIT University in Odisha's Bhubaneswar has issued a notice ordering students from Nepal to immediately vacate the campus on Monday after the body of a third-year B.Tech student from the neighbouring country was found dead at the university hostel. According to the notice, the institute was "closed sine die for all international students from Nepal and they are directed to vacate the university campus immediately today on 17th February."

Students from Nepal were seen leaving their hostels following the announcement.

Prof. Jnyana Ranjan Mohanty, Registrar, of KIIT University told the news agency ANI, "Following the incident, a few Nepali friends of the (deceased) girl held an agitation. University authorities held a discussion with them and it was sorted out and the situation on campus was normal. Now they are going back to their homes... Based on the protest, we asked the students to leave the campus and they accepted it and left for their home."

What Nepali students are saying?

Rajan Gupta, a student from Nepal claimed that they were forced to vacate the hostel without clear information. "We were protesting for the (deceased) girl. We don't know what their intentions are, but we were forcibly made to vacate the hostel. There is no fixed train schedule, and I have no money. We haven't even had food. We are helpless," he said.

Gupta also said that college staff had entered the hostel, urging students to leave and even. "The staff members entered the hostel, made us vacate..., " he said. Anil Prasad Yadav, another student from Nepal, described the events leading up to their departure.

"A girl from Nepal was found dead yesterday (February 16). We went to the International Office to find out more details about this but we could not find anything. We were there overnight, sitting on a dharna. We were sent back to the hostel from there. We were finally told to pack up and leave within an hour. We have nothing with us. We don't know how we will go. We have not even had food...We are trying to get a ticket," Yadav stated.

What does the Nepal PM say?

Prime Minister Oli posted on social media about the incident at the KIIT University in Odisha. He wrote on his Facebook account in Nepali that it had come to his attention through media and social media that a student from Nepal had died in the hostel of Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University in Odisha and that Nepali students had been forcibly evicted from the hostel.

Oli said that his government is working on this matter through diplomatic channels and is in contact with the relevant authorities in India.

What does KIIT University say?

Notably, last year, the University secured an impressive 4th position in India in the inaugural Times Higher Education (THE) Interdisciplinary Science Rankings 2025, which recognizes universities excelling in interdisciplinary scientific research. Only four Indian universities—both private and public—feature among the top 100 universities globally, and KIIT is one of them, ranking 92nd worldwide.

"There was an unfortunate incident which took place late in the evening yesterday on the KIIT campus. Immediately after the incident, police investigated the matter and apprehended the culprit. The KIIT administration has made all-out efforts to restore normalcy inthe campus and hostels to resume academic activities. An appeal is made to all our Nepali students who have or plan to leave the campus to return and resume the classes," said the university in a statement.

KIIT issues emergency numbers

"A dedicated control room is open 24×7 at KIIT Campus 6 to facilitate the return of Nepali students to the KIIT campus. Additionally, a 24×7 helpline [+91 7847064550 & +91 7855029322] has been set up to provide support and guidance. We urge all Nepali students to reach out for any assistance. KIIT remains committed to their safety and well-being," it added.

(With inputs from agency)


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