DEHRADUN/PITHORAGARH: In a corner of Bhubaneswar, a hostel room has been emptied. Its door, indistinguishable from the others lining the corridor, remains locked. Inside, the personal touches that once marked the space are gone, leaving no trace of the young woman who aspired to build a future there. Yet, beyond these walls, the name Prakriti Lamsal resonates. In Odisha, where students are protesting. In Kathmandu, among Nepal's student communities, within govt offices and the PMO.
No action was taken on her plaints: Dead KIIT girl’s dad Days after Prakriti's death, her father, Sunil Lamsal, searches for answers while holding onto his belief that India will deliver justice for his daughter. "Since the era of Ramayan, both countries have maintained the roti-beti ka rishta," he told TOI over the phone from Kathmandu on Wednesday. "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."
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Nepal human rights body seeks probe into KIIT-Bhubaneswar student death The roti-beti ka rishta — a bond of livelihoods and marriages that has long blurred the borders between Nepal and India — has long tied the people of the two countries, Lamsal said, repeating, as if to emphasise a hope. Prakriti, 20, was one such daughter. A third-year computer science student at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), she had left her home in Bhairahawa, 5km from the Indian border at Gorakhpur, to pursue a future in India. She had told them she'll be back as an engineer.
The Lamsals had first heard of KIIT through university-led events in Kathmandu. Prakriti's cousins, Anurodh and Siddhant, were also students there; she and Anurodh in computer science, Siddhant in mechanical engineering. Like many international students, she arrived with ambitions — big but not uncommon. A degree. A job. A better life for her family, especially her little brother she doted on.
There were two things, Lamsal said, Prakriti cared about the most: becoming an engineer and looking after her nine-year-old brother, Prayas. She adored him. "She wanted to get him into the best school, to shape his future. She was shy, but always willing to help others. A bright career has been cut short. I have lost my daughter — she wanted to set an example for others to follow. Those responsible should not go unpunished."
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How a Nepali student’s death sparked chaos at Odisha’s KIIT Prakriti had always been quiet, a little reserved, Lamsal said. But at KIIT, she had spoken up. Twice. She had filed two complaints against a fellow student, alleging harassment. The university responded by calling in both students for "counselling". But her family was never informed. "No action was taken," Lamsal said. "A firm action could have saved her."
On Feb 16, two hours before her death, Prakriti called her mother. They talked about studies, family matters. Nothing seemed amiss. "There was no indication of the anxiety she was carrying," her father said. A few hours later, the family got the news.
Afterwards, the community of 1,500-odd Nepalese students at KIIT erupted in protests. More than 500 students were allegedly asked to vacate their hostels following the unrest. The Nepalese embassy stepped in, sending officials to assess the situation and provide support. "If it weren't for them (the students), this may never have come to light," Lamsal said.
When Nepal's PM K P Sharma Oli spoke to Prakriti's parents on Tuesday, he promised them what little could still be given: attention, intervention, the weight of Nepal's diplomatic and legal resources. "This news has deeply saddened me. It has brought grief to all of us. We cannot change what has happened. It was an unfortunate event… An investigation is underway," he told them over the phone. He placed his faith in Indian authorities. He assured the family that justice would be done.
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Prakriti's father listened, stifled sobs, then spoke. "Many Nepali children are studying in India. We do not want such incidents to recur. Our govt must take proactive steps in this matter," he said. He thanked the PM, but it was not just gratitude — it was a warning, a plea. Oli repeated what he had said: "Nepal is watching this case."
There was another phone call. Nepal's foreign minister Arzu Rana Deuba spoke to Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi. She used different words but asked for the same thing — an "impartial investigation, legal action, accountability". Nepal's National Human Rights Commission, too, sent its own request, urging its Indian counterpart to investigate Prakriti's death and ensure that it would not become just another case file.
"We are waiting, watching," Lamsal said. "Nepal is too."