Kathmandu, May 2
A Nepali student studying at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Odisha, India, has been found dead.
Prisha Sah, a native of Birgunj, was found hanging in her hostel room around 8 pm on Thursday.
Sanjeev Sharma Das, the Consular at the Nepali Embassy in New Delhi, confirmed the incident.
“Prisha Sah of Birgunj was found dead around 8 p.m. on Thursday. An investigation into the incident has been initiated,” he said.
He informed that Prisha’s body has been sent to the hospital for a post-mortem examination, which will be conducted only after her family members arrive.
“We are currently investigating the matter. The post-mortem will be done once her guardians are present,” Consular Sharma added.
Nepal’s Foreign Minister, Arzu Rana Deuba, expressed sorrow over the tragic death of Prisha Sah.
She stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched diplomatic efforts to investigate the incident, working with the Indian government, Odisha state officials, and the Nepali Embassy in Delhi.
India’s largest student organization, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), has also expressed concern over the incident.
In a statement issued on Thursday, ABVP called the incident appalling and shameful, noting that once again a Nepali student at KIIT has been driven to suicide.
Questioning the state government’s continued silence despite repeated incidents, ABVP’s National General Secretary, Virendra Singh Solanki, demanded immediate and strict action against KIIT.
This is not the first such case at the institute. On February 16, another 20-year-old Nepali student, Prakriti Lamsal, who was also studying at KIIT, was found dead in the hostel.
She had filed two complaints to the college administration alleging mental harassment and blackmail. However, the administration failed to take the issue seriously, and she ultimately ended her life.
Following her death, Nepali students staged protests on campus demanding justice. In response, the college administration allegedly used repressive measures. Security guards reportedly assaulted the protesting students and ordered them to vacate the hostel, further escalating tensions on campus.
