By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: RTI activist Pratap Mohanty has written to Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja regarding incidents of mysterious death of Prakriti Lamsal, 20 years, 3rd Year B.Tech. Student, Queens Hostel, KIIT Deemed University on 16.02.2025 Patia in Bhubaneswar in Odisha. He also drew attention of Secretary, Higher Education, Home Secretary, Secretary Culture, Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, UGC Chairman and Chairman, AICTE, New Delhi.
RTI activist Mohanty pointed out that the situation under which the death of Prakriti occurred on 16.02.2025 is a matter of great concern and needs a thread bare investigation in order to ascertain the fact, reason and circumstances under which she was compelled to go for suicide and find out the officers who have failed to address her grievances. They may be taken into task in the interest of justice and fairplay. Whether the same incident was avoidable or not ? And if the same could have been avoided how and what measures we as a Guardian of students suggest to the Institute and Law and order Authority and Govt. at large to be careful in future to protect students’ life and liberty.
Mohanty wrote “ ‘That, I draw your kind attention towards the unnatural death / suicide of the girl at KIIT Campus, Queens Hostel Room, Campus-6, KIIT. Prakrit Lamsel, 20 years 3rd Year. B.Tech. student of KIIT, Deemed University . She committed suicide in Hostel Room on 16.02.2025. It was seen in National and regional as well as the International News channel. The Administrative officers, Lady bouncers along with security guards broke upon the window and door of the said room and entered into the same room along with students by violating all protocols before rescue of the dead body in the absence of Local Magistrate and Local police on the spot which is clearly visualised in viral video in different social medias, Youtube & National Media. As per the version of friend of deceased girl and her father which was raised in the media that the deceased student had filed written complaint of harassment and tortured in many ways and sought action against him. But the management of the University failed to address the complaint which resulted in her frustration and decision for suicide,”
He further argued that on 16.02.2025 after the spread of news of suicide of girl student, all Nepali students as well as other students agitated against management seeking justice for the victim in the campus, two lady administrator named Mrs. Manjusa Pandey, Associate Professor and Jayanti Nath, Joint Director, Ladies Hostel misbehaved the agitating students and abused them in slang language and derogatory words like “KIIT ANNUAL BUDGET IS DOUBLE THAT OF YOUR NEPAL GOVT. BUDGET” and the Embassy of Nepal will do nothing along with we are providing Education and Food free of cost to all of you etc. which got viral in Social and Mass Media, National and International media drawing attention of Nepal Parliament and Nepal Human Rights Commission degrading image of our state and country. They along with some Hooligans and Security officers even slapped the students and forcibly packed their belongings in hostel.
‘But the harrowing experience encountered by the Nepali students is that they were shunted out of the campus and sign die declared. Around 1000 Nepali students including Girls students who are studying in KIIT were packed in KIIT vehicles and left at Cuttack Railway station in the Night and directed to go to Nepal. This inhuman behavior on the part of management frightened them to return as they don’t have money to purchase ticket for journey. As told by Nepali student, they don’t have any fault why they will leave hostel. In a time when they don’t have money to eat and drink how they will manage to get train ticket in order to proceed Nepal. All the students agitated as to the reason why the boyfriend of Prakriti blackmailed her. These points were intentionally overlooked by the management of KIIT. Now the Dean and other officials of the KIIT are affectionately asking them to return. Can anyone believe them?, he added.
He said , that, on dtd. 18.02.2025 after protest from many students organisations as well as the question raised in Odisha Legislative Assembly, the local police station having nexus with KIIT Authority was being pressurized to Lodge a complaint case and arrested 5 employees of KIIT including Director of the Institute for harassing Nepali Students but the Judicial Magistrate 1st Class (2) Court have granted Bail in the evening within 3 hrs which not only surprised the students of the University as well as the question on Local Police. Moreover the two ladies official who have misbehaved all the Nepali students and harassed them were not arrested and questioned on this matter. The charges imposed by Police authority seems to be overlooking the gravity of unnatural death, conspiracy of death or suicide.
He also argued that, on dtd. 18.02.2025 local police have taken custody to the so-called accused Advik Srivastav (21 years) Lucknow as per the media. The accused has admitted in media that he has murdered the girl which is not believable in social media. The Lady officer and Security Guards have broken the door and window which was locked inside. Despite so many protections as well as security arrangements made in the Ladies Hostel, how a boy entered and murdered her is a question ? Hence after having gone through the circumstantial evidence as well as the allegations of the Nepali students, the KIIT administration having Nexus with the Local Police (Info city Police station) are trying to suppress the investigation.
‘After a lot of protest and public outrage, the State Govt. has constituted a 3-member Committee headed by Secretary, Department of Home to inquire into the matter. Though 15 days passed, nothing has emerged out of investigation. It is generally believed that the whole administration has been managed by the authority of KIIT. Hence I along with the Civil Society groups request the Govt. of Odisha to set up a Judicial Enquiry of a High Court Judge to investigate the matter which is of International Importance and recommend the University for suggestive and corrective measures. Department of Higher Education must put in place the Standard Operating Procedure for the University to handle this kind of situation in future,” he added.
