# Suicide of Prakriti Lamsal

On 16 February 2025, Nepali B.Tech student Prakriti Lamsal was found dead in her hostel at KIIT Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India, in a suspected suicide. Protests erupted as students alleged harassment and institutional negligence. The university ordered all Nepali students to vacate, leaving many stranded. Police arrested a male student in connection with the case, while the Nepali Embassy intervened. Investigations are ongoing amid rising tensions.

## Background

Prakriti Lamsal was a student from Siddharthanagar, Bhairahawa, in the Rupandehi District of Nepal. She was pursuing her higher studies at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
During her time at KIIT, Prakriti was involved in a relationship with Advik Srivastava, a fellow student at the university. The relationship eventually ended, and it was reported that Advik Srivastava allegedly blackmailed Prakriti by threatening to release private, compromising photos of her.
Till now, as per the police report, the harassment and lack of resolution are believed to have contributed to emotional distress, which, according to some reports, led to Prakriti’s death. She was found dead in her hostel room on 16 February 2025 in what appeared to be a suicide.
As per recent updates on this case, Odisha Police Team Arrested 3 Directors and 2 Guards of the university on 18 February 2025. The investigation is still going on.

## Incident

Lamsal was found dead in her hostel room at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology on 16 February 2025. Her body was discovered by her roommate, who became concerned after not hearing from her for a while. The roommate went to check on her and found Lamsal unresponsive. The incident was immediately reported to university authorities.
Lamsal had last communicated with her family earlier that day, mentioning that she was heading to a campus event. Her father reported that she had called her mother at around 2:51 PM, sounding normal and mentioning her plans. However, later that afternoon, the family was informed by university authorities between 5 PM and 5:30 PM about her death.
Details surrounding the exact method of her death have not been publicly disclosed, but the incident was classified as a suicide following the autopsy report. On February 18, 2025, police handed over the body of Prakriti Lamsal to her family following an autopsy.

## Aftermath

KIIT initially issued suspension notices to over 1100 Nepali students, instructing them to vacate their campus housing. This decision led to widespread protests from the Nepali student community, who raised concerns about harassment and the handling of complaints. The university later retracted the suspension notices, allowing the students to return.
During the protests, some students reported instances of verbal abuse by university staff. In one incident, a staff member reportedly made a remark comparing the university's budget to Nepal's, which was perceived as insensitive. The staff member later apologized, stating that the comment was made "on the spur of the moment."
The Odisha police initiated an investigation into Prakriti's death. Preliminary findings suggested that she had been subjected to harassment and blackmail by Advik Srivastava, a third-year mechanical engineering student. Srivastava was arrested at Bhubaneswar Airport while attempting to leave the state. He was charged with blackmail and harassment related to the incident.
The Odisha Higher Education Department summoned KIIT founder Achyuta Samanta for discussions regarding the events surrounding Prakriti's death and the university's response. Authorities also planned forensic tests to further investigate the case. The Nepali Embassy in India intervened to ensure a thorough investigation into Prakriti's death and address the concerns of Nepali students studying in India.