BHUBANESWAR: The death of a 20-year-old Nepali student at a city education institute threatened to escalate into a diplomatic row with Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli highlighting ‘forced eviction' of his country's students from the university and requesting India's assistance to resolve the situation.
Following PM Oli's message, the Centre intervened and the Odisha govt instructed the institute to allow Nepali students back into the campus. A 21-year-old student from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, was also arrested for his alleged role in the girl's suicide.
Later, in a statement, KIIT Deemed to be University said, "All-out efforts have been made to restore normalcy in the campus and hostels to resume the 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."
A third-year BTech student from Nepal was found hanging in her hostel room on Sunday evening. Police claimed it was a case of suicide. On Monday, scores of Nepali students protested, claiming she took her life after being harassed by another student. They alleged the university administration did not address her previous harassment complaints, which the authorities denied.
Following confrontations between institute's security personnel and protesting students, videos of which were circulated on social media, the university was closed ‘sine die' for all international students from Nepal. "They are hereby directed to vacate the university campus immediately," the institute announced.
With reports claiming students were headed to train stations, PM Oli posted on social media, "It has come to our attention through media and social media that a Nepali student has died in the hostel of Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University in Odisha and that Nepali students have been forcibly evicted from the hostel. The government is working on this matter through diplomatic channels and is in contact with the relevant authorities."
He also said that two officers have been dispatched from the embassy in New Delhi to counsel Nepali students affected in Odisha. "Additionally, arrangements were made to ensure they have the option to either remain in their hostel or return home, based on their preference," Oli posted on X.
State higher education minister Suryabanshi Suraj called the incident unfortunate, noting India and Odisha's positive relationship with Nepal. "Following the chief minister's directives, the state govt treated the matter with utmost seriousness. Police arrested a student for allegedly harassing the BTech student who died by suicide. KIIT should not have evicted the Nepali students. Odisha govt arranged buses to bring back the Nepali students from Cuttack railway station," Suraj told reporters.