BHUBANESWAR/KATHMANDU –  Tragedy has struck the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, for the second time in less than three months, as another female undergraduate student from Nepal was found dead in her hostel room on Thursday evening. The incident has prompted an immediate police investigation and raised serious concerns about student welfare at the prominent institution.

The deceased has been identified as Prisha Shah, an 18-year-old first-year B.Tech Computer Science student hailing from Birgunj, Nepal. Police reported she was found hanging in her room (Room No. 111, Campus No. 4 ladies' hostel) around 7-8 PM on May 1, 2025. Authorities, including Bhubaneswar Police Commissioner S. Devdutt Singh and DCP Jagmohan Meena, confirmed the incident and stated that suicide is suspected, though the exact circumstances remain unclear.

An official press note from the Odisha government confirmed that information about the alleged suicide was received from local police around 8:10 PM Thursday. Senior officials immediately rushed to the scene to inquire into the circumstances. A forensic team was deployed, and the student's mobile phone and laptop have been sent for examination. Police have registered an unnatural death (UD) case, and sources indicate no suicide note was initially found at the scene. The student's body has been sent to AIIMS Bhubaneswar for a post-mortem examination, which police stated would likely await the arrival of her parents.

Both the student's parents and the Embassy of Nepal in India were immediately informed by the university and police authorities. Nepal's Ambassador to India, Shankar Sharma, and Deputy Chief of Mission Surendra Thapa confirmed they are in contact with Odisha state officials and the university administration. The Odisha State Government has extended its support and condolences to the bereaved family. KIIT University stated it is cooperating fully with the police investigation.

This tragic event follows closely on the heels of another Nepali student's death at the same institute just two and a half months prior. On February 16, 2025, Prakriti Lamsal, a 20-year-old third-year B.Tech Computer Science student, was also found dead in her hostel room, sparking widespread protests by Nepali students and a diplomatic row. Lamsal's death was alleged by friends and investigated by police as a suicide potentially driven by harassment and blackmail from a fellow student, Advik Shrivastava, who was later arrested. That incident escalated further due to allegations of racial comments by faculty and attempts by university officials to evict protesting Nepali students, prompting intervention from India's Ministry of External Affairs and the Nepali government.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), investigating the February incident, held KIIT responsible for negligence and inaction regarding harassment allegations, stating it violated the deceased student's rights and contributed to her death. The Odisha government had also formed a high-level committee to probe Lamsal's death and related misconduct allegations, though its report is reportedly still pending.

The occurrence of two such tragic deaths involving students from Nepal within a short period has understandably caused shock and concern among students and faculty, renewing questions about the support systems and handling of sensitive issues within the university environment.