The death of another Nepali student at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar, India, has reignited concerns over the safety of Nepali students studying abroad.
On Thursday evening, Prisa Sah, a first-year B.Tech Computer Science student from Birgunj, was found dead in her hostel room at KIIT University. Authorities are investigating the incident as a suspected suicide, the Indian media reported.
Police Commissioner Suresh Dev Datta Singh confirmed that Sah's body was discovered hanging in her room and has been sent to AIIMS Bhubaneswar for post-mortem examination, according to news reports carried by the Economic Times.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal has initiated diplomatic efforts to investigate the circumstances surrounding Sah's death. Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba expressed deep sorrow over the incident and stated that the ministry is coordinating with senior officials from the Indian central and Odisha state governments, as well as the Nepali embassy in Delhi, to ascertain the facts, the state-run national news agency RSS reported.
This tragedy comes just months after the death of another Nepali student, Prakriti Lamsal, at the same university, the Hindustan Times reported. Lamsal, a third-year B.Tech student from Siddharthanagar, was found dead in her hostel room on February 16, 2025. Her death, also ruled a suicide, led to widespread protests amid allegations of harassment by a fellow student and institutional negligence. The incident strained Nepal-India educational ties and prompted the Nepalese government to demand a thorough investigation.
Experts say that the recurring tragedies have underscored the need for enhanced support systems and protective measures for international students, particularly those from Nepal, to prevent such incidents in the future.
