On Thursday, May 1, 2025, Prisa Sah, an 18-year-old first-year BTech Computer Science student at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, was found dead in her hostel room, reported The Hindu, on Friday, May 2.
According to the Odisha government, local police were informed of the suspected suicide around 8.10 pm.
The Commissioner of Police, S Dev Dutta, reported that Prisa was discovered hanging, after she failed to respond during the evening hostel attendance call.
The forensic team was promptly dispatched to investigate the room, and no suicide note was found. The case has been registered as an unnatural death, with no allegations against anyone at this stage. A postmortem is scheduled in the presence of Prisa’s parents, who are expected to arrive in Bhubaneswar on Friday, May 2, 2025.
Nepal government asks for a prompt investigation
The Nepal government has urgently called for a comprehensive investigation into Prisa Sah’s death, as it is the second incident involving a Nepali female student at KIIT University within three months.
Nepal’s Foreign Minister, Arzu Rana Deuba, expressed grief over the matter, stating, “We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Prisa Sah, a Nepali student at KIIT University in Odisha. I offer my heartfelt condolences to her family during this difficult time and pray for the eternal peace of her soul.”
"Following the incident, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs promptly initiated diplomatic efforts to ascertain the truth. Senior officials have engaged with counterparts in the Government of India, the Government of Odisha, and the Embassy of Nepal in New Delhi to ensure a thorough investigation,” Deuba said.
Nepal’s Ambassador to India, Shankar P Sharma, reiterated these sentiments, adding that they have been closely coordinating with Indian authorities, Odisha police, and KIIT University for a transparent investigation.
Previous incident
The Odisha government has assured cooperation in the ongoing investigation. KIIT University has not issued a detailed public statement regarding Prisa’s case. The case is under tight scrutiny due to a prior incident in February 2025, when another Nepali student, Prakriti Lamsal, died by suicide at the same institution.
Her death has sparked significant protests, with students alleging that the university had ignored her complaints of harassment by a fellow student. The situation further escalated when KIIT forcibly evicted over 500 Nepali students from the university, as protests surged over Lamsal's untimely death.
