Bhubaneshwar: Chaos and tension gripped the KIIT University campus after a third-year B.Tech student from Nepal was found dead in her hostel on Sunday evening. Allegations of harassment by her ex-boyfriend, Advik Srivastava, surfaced immediately, with students accusing the university of trying to suppress the truth.
Hundreds of students staged protests, demanding transparency and justice. Slogans of “We Want Justice” echoed through the campus as students gheraoed the university administration. Social media was flooded with digital pamphlets and video clips accusing KIIT of mishandling the situation and suppressing crucial evidence, including the deceased’s mobile phone.
Amidst the uproar, reports emerged that the university forcibly evicted all Nepali students, citing a sine die closure notice. Students were abruptly packed into university buses and dropped off at Cuttack railway station, many without train tickets or any financial assistance. “We have exams in a week, but they are forcing us to leave without any support,” alleged one distressed student.
The situation escalated further when an audio clip surfaced on social media, purportedly containing a conversation between the deceased and Advik. The recording featured the latter hurling expletives and verbally abusing the deceased, leaving her in tears. Friends of the deceased claim that she suffered physical and mental harassment throughout their three-year relationship. They also revealed that she had sought help from the International Relations Office (IRO) a month ago but was allegedly ignored.
Advik Srivastava, the accused in the case, was arrested near the airport while attempting to escape out of the state. Police have confirmed that he hails from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Authorities seized his mobile phone and laptop as part of the investigation.
Adding to the outrage, Nepali students faced further distress when they were reportedly assaulted by security guards.
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Meanwhile, tensions escalated when a KIIT staff remarks went viral, adding fuel to the outrage. The staff member was heard comparing the university’s expenditure on Nepali students to Nepal’s national budget, further enraging protesters. As heard in the viral video, the staff reportedly stated, “The man is feeding 40,000 students for free, which is more than your country’s budget.”
Nepal Prime Minister, KP Sharma Oli, stated that diplomatic channels are being used to assist affected students. The Nepali embassy in New Delhi has sent officers to counsel them and ensure their safety.
Our Embassy in New Delhi has dispatched two officers to counsel Nepali students affected in Odisha.
Additionally, arrangements have been made to ensure they have the option to either remain in their hostel or return home, based on their preference. #Nepal #Odisha
— K P Sharma Oli (@kpsharmaoli) February 17, 2025
Despite the turmoil, KIIT University issued an official statement on February 17, 2025, in an attempt to pacify the situation. The statement, signed by the Registrar, appealed to Nepali students who had left or planned to leave the campus, urging them to return and resume their classes.
“There was an unfortunate incident which took place late in the evening yesterday on the KIIT campus. Immediately after the incident, police investigated the matter and apprehended the culprit. The KIIT administration has taken all-out efforts to restore normalcy in the campus and hostels to resume the academic activities. An appeal is made to all our Nepali students who have or plan to leave the campus to return and resume the classes,” it read.
Several demanded an independent investigation into the incident and stronger measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
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