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The campus of Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar was plunged into turmoil following the suicide of a Nepali female student on February 16, 2025. The incident led to heightened tensions, forcing more than 500 Nepali students to vacate the university immediately, with many left stranded at Cuttack Railway Station, 30 km away from the institute.
The private university took swift action by declaring a sine die closure for all Nepali students, ordering them to leave the campus on the very same day, February 17. A notice issued by KIIT read, “The university is closed sine die for all the international students from Nepal. They are hereby directed to vacate the university campus immediately today on February 17, 2025,” according to the university’s official statement.
The situation worsened as many students, particularly female students, found themselves without train tickets to return home. Some were forced to wait at the station for hours, adding to the growing frustration.
The tragedy unfolded when a third-year B.Tech student from Nepal was found dead in her hostel room on February 16. Police believe she ended her life by hanging, allegedly due to a strained relationship with a male student from the same institution. Following the incident, Nepali students organized protests, demanding justice for the deceased and the arrest of the male student allegedly involved in the matter.
Pinak Mishra, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in Bhubaneswar, confirmed the investigation, stating, “We had received a police complaint about the reported suicide of a Nepali female student on February 16. We immediately rushed to the hostel room and tried to pacify the students who were visibly agitated over the incident,” as reported by The Hindu. Mishra also added that the police had seized the girl’s mobile phone and laptop to collect evidence.
The university’s Public Relations Director, Shradhanjali Nayak, later issued a statement clarifying the situation. She revealed that the male student believed to have been involved in a personal dispute with the deceased had been taken into police custody for questioning. “It is believed that the student may have taken this step following a personal issue between them,” Nayak stated.
As the protests escalated, KIIT engaged in discussions with the students to manage the situation. Despite these efforts, the sudden closure and forced departure of Nepali students caused immense distress. Many students voiced their dissatisfaction with how the university handled the situation, criticizing the administration for its abrupt decision, especially with exams scheduled for the end of February.
Though the situation on campus later normalized, the emotional and logistical distress faced by the students, some of whom struggled to secure transport home, highlighted the tension that gripped the campus after this tragic event.
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