UDISHA (BHUBANESWAR), May 6: The suspicious death of Nepali student Prisha Shah, who was studying at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India, remains unexplained, as the post-mortem report revealed no cause of death.
SSP (Counsellor) Sanjeev Das Sharma of the Nepal Police, stationed at the Nepali Embassy in India, confirmed that the post-mortem report failed to identify any cause. "The post-mortem report disclosed nothing conclusive. Preliminary findings have not determined any cause of death. The investigation is still underway. Authorities have sent her laptop and mobile phone to a forensic lab, and we are awaiting the results," Sharma said. He added that all members of Prisha Shah's family returned to Nepal on Monday and Tuesday.
A student from the college said the administration is currently counseling several students. According to Nepali students who spoke to us, the college's International Relations Officer (IRO) is providing the counseling sessions. Meanwhile, two senior students who shared a hostel room with Prisha had already returned home before the incident. Bhubaneswar police in Odisha have questioned 10 other students but have not drawn any conclusions yet.
Prisha, who was studying under "Scheme B," lived with two senior roommates. The news of her death spread through the college while her roommates were away. "She didn't attend classes on Thursday afternoon, and by evening, news of her suicide broke," the student said.
Family and supporters march to TU Teaching Hospital following d...
Examinations are ongoing across various semesters at the college. On Thursday, Prisha was supposed to appear for her Engineering Drawing (ED) viva, but she missed it. Her absence prompted the college staff to start searching for her. A first-year B.Tech student, Prisha had come to the college that afternoon but did not attend the viva, one student said.
Meanwhile, India's National Human Rights Commission directed officials to carry out a thorough investigation into Prisha's death and submit a report within a week. The commission issued notices to the Chief Secretary of Odisha and the Director General of Police (DGP), ordering a serious probe into the case. It asked authorities to complete the investigation by May 10.
Earlier, two Indian students at KIIT College had also committed suicide.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) of India has formed a four-member investigation committee to examine the death of Nepali student Prisha Sah, who was studying at KIIT University. Following a series of suicides at the KIIT University hostel, the UGC appointed Nageshwar Rao, Vice-Chancellor of Indira Gandhi Open University, to lead the committee. The committee has a 10-day deadline to complete its inquiry. It also includes Shashikala Banjeri, Vice-Chancellor of the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration, and H.S.S. Rathore, former Vice-Chancellor of Gaya Central University in Bihar. Sunita Sivach, the UGC's deputy secretary, will coordinate the committee's work.
To uncover the truth behind the death, Speaker of the House of Representatives Devraj Ghimire has directed the government to begin high-level diplomatic discussions with the Indian government and provide the necessary judicial assistance to the family. The government has confirmed that it is actively pursuing diplomatic efforts. During a special session on Monday, lawmakers raised the issue of Prisha's death, prompting Speaker Ghimire to direct the government to investigate further, emphasizing that the death of a Nepali student at an Indian university is a matter of national concern.
Parliament raised the issue after Prisha was found dead in her hostel on May 1, three months after the death of Rupandehi's Prakriti Lamsal, who was also studying at KIIT University. Nepali students, who form one of the largest groups after Indian students, study at KIIT. According to a student at the university, students from countries such as Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh, France, Somalia, and Syria are also enrolled there.
Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), a major private university in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India, was established in 1992 as an industrial training institute. Since 1997, it has offered undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In 2007, the university expanded its curriculum to include courses in medical sciences, dentistry, nursing, communication, and other fields. It spans 8,900 acres in the Patia area ofBhubaneswar.
The college has more than 1,300 Nepali students. Prisha, originally from Kabilasi Municipality-8 in Sarlahi, Nepal, had been living in Birgunj Metropolitan City-15 in Parsa.
