Student suicide: KIIT staff apologizes to Nepali students after controversial remarks spark outrage

The Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Odisha is facing intense scrutiny following the tragic suicide of a Nepali student on Feb 16, which led to widespread protests on campus.

The situation worsened after a viral video showed KIIT staff making controversial remarks to Nepali students, triggering massive backlash.

In the video, professor Manjusha Pandey is heard making widely criticized statements, while another staff member, Jayanti Nath, compares the institute’s funding to Nepal’s national budget. The remarks fueled further anger, leading to both staff members issuing public apologies, stating their words were spoken in the "spur of the moment" and did not reflect the university’s views.

KIIT also issued an official apology, removing two officers from their positions for their "irresponsible" statements. Meanwhile, security personnel have been arrested in connection with the student protests, and both Nepal and India’s governments have pledged to investigate the matter.

The incident has also sparked a political controversy in Odisha, with calls for a judicial inquiry and action against KIIT’s founder. As tensions remain high, the Odisha government has formed a high-level fact-finding team to probe the situation.

Another staffer seen in the video, Jayanti Nath, also apologized and said her, "intention was never to offend or demean anyone. "I deeply regret if my words caused unintended hurt to anyone's sentiment. I want to emphasize that my words do not reflect the views of the university or any of the faculties. I am extremely sorry and apologetic for whatever has happened," Nath said.

She, however, added the remarks were made in response to comments allegedly calling India and KIIT "corrupt and poor".

"My words were in response to statements made during the protest where my country and my institution were called corrupt and poor. In that heated exchange, my reply was made to defend against these remarks, not to demean Nepal or its people anywhere," she added.

Two security guards, identified as Ramakanta Nayak (45) and Jogendra Behera (25), have been arrested and a criminal case against them under Sections 126 (2) [wrongful restraint], 296 [obscene acts], 115 (2) [voluntarily causing hurt], and 3 (5) [joint criminal liability] of the BNS registered.

KIIT also issued a public apology and said it has removed two of its officers from service for making "extremely irresponsible" statements. The institute, however, didn't name the officers. "KIIT has always been a home to students from across the world, fostering a culture of inclusivity, respect, and care. We deeply regret the recent incident and reaffirm our commitment to the safety, dignity, and well-being of all our students, including our dear Nepali students," it said in a post on X.

It also appealed to the Nepali students to join the regular academics with immediate effect.

The unrest on the college campus began on Sunday after 20-year-old Prakriti Lamsal, a third-year B Tech (computer science) student at the Bhubaneswar0based institute - died by suicide. In several social media videos, security personnel and staff of the university were seen abusing and using force against the students who were demanding justice for the woman.

Some students claimed that they were evicted by the college. KIIT later clarified that the Nepali students were "advised to return to their respective places" after "some protestors continued to create disruptions, posing a challenge to law and order".

The protests also drew a reaction from Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli who said his government was "working on this matter through diplomatic channels".