India condoles death of Nepali student in Bhubaneswar, assures thorough enquiry

New Delhi:  The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday extended heartfelt condolences on the tragic demise of a female Nepali student of Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University, Bhubaneswar, stating that the Indian government takes the safety, security, and well-being of all international students very seriously.

“The Ministry of External Affairs has been in constant touch with the Odisha State Government since we became aware of the tragic incident. The State Government of Odisha has extended full support to the family of the deceased, and a thorough enquiry is currently being conducted by the Odisha Police,” read a statement issued by the MEA.

“We remain in close contact with the Nepali authorities, the Odisha State Government as well as KIIT management to ensure real-time communication and coordination in this matter,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Nepal, Arzu Rana Deuba, on Friday expressed deep grief over the death of the student. Deuba said that the Nepal’s Foreign Ministry has initiated diplomatic initiatives to investigate the truth of the incident through high-ranking officials of the Government of India, the Odisha government, and the Embassy of Nepal in Delhi.

“The incident of Prisha Shah, a Nepali student studying at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University in Odisha, India, being found dead in her hostel room has left us deeply saddened. I pray for the eternal peace of Prisha’s soul and express my deepest condolences to her family at this sad hour,” she posted on X.

The Ambassador of Nepal to India, Shankar P Sharma also asserted that the Embassy is closely coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs, the Odisha Government, police, and the university authorities for a thorough investigation into the case.

Earlier, the Odisha government had issued an official statement on the issue, assuring all support to the bereaved family.

As per the statement, information about the alleged suicide of the girl student from Nepal, studying in first year B. Tech, Computer Science, KIIT University, was received from the local police on Thursday.

It also added that the parents of the girl were informed about the incident immediately by the university authorities.

“In this hour of distress, the State Government extends its support to the family of the deceased and offers its condolences to them. On receipt of the information, senior officers including the Commissioner of Police and Revenue Divisional Commissioner rushed to the site to enquire into the circumstances leading to the unfortunate incident and take necessary action in the matter. The forensic team is at the spot to collect evidence,” read the statement issued by the Odisha Government.

Notably, Prisha Shah was found hanging in her hostel room inside KIIT University campus on Thursday evening. She was immediately rushed to the nearby private medical college where the doctors declared her “brought dead”.

Her body was later shifted to AIIMS, Bhubaneswar for the postmortem, which will be held on Friday after the arrival of her family members.

Earlier, the university came in the line of fire following the suicide of a Nepali female student, Prakriti Lamsal, on February 16 and the subsequent assault on other Nepali students by the private educational institution’s security guards.

–IANS