Father of Nepalese student who died by suicide in Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) said that he can’t be in Odisha for the entire duration of the investigation but is confident that the Indian government will do justice to his daughter.
Sunil Lamsal, father of Prakriti Lamsal, whose death sparked days of protests in KIIT, subsequently involving the governments of both Nepal and Odisha told Times of India, "I cannot be in Odisha for the entire duration of the probe, but I am confident that the Indian govt will do what it needs to.”
The bereaved father told the news daily from Kathmandu that India-Nepal has “roti-beti ka rishta” – to be understood as a bond of livelihoods and marriages – and the borders between the countries have long since been blurred.
The 20-year-old third-year computer science student at KIIT died by suicide on February 16. Her father said that although shy, she found the courage to file two complaints against a fellow student, alleging harassment. Lamsal said no action was taken against the complaints and that KIIT should have taken some firm action.
Lamsal said his daughter called her mother two hours before her death. He said there was no indication of any anxiety that she had, according to the report.
After her death, the Nepalese students community at KIIT took out a protest demanding justice from. However, some teachers were caught on camera making disparaging remarks to the Nepalese students.
In response, KIIT authorities have taken several actions. According to a release issued on February 18, two security staff members have been terminated, while two senior hostel officials and a senior administrative officer from the International Relations Office have been suspended pending an inquiry. The institute has also issued an apology for the distress caused to the students and for the disparaging comments made by some staff members.
Police also arrested 10 employees of KIIT, including some director-level officials and security guards, after examining CCTV footage.