University Grant Committee Form Committee Investigate the Death of Nepal Female Student in Orissa
Bhubaneswar: The University Grants Committee (UGC) on Friday formed a fact committee of three members to investigate the situation surrounding the incident following the tragic death of a Nepali female student at the Walkaling Institute of Processing Industry Technology (KIIT).
The committee is led by the former vice president of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Professor Nageshwar Rao is tasked with reviewing cases in detail, reviewing safety protocols in student hotels, and submitting reports as early as possible. This move is due to the increasing attention of the student community, the Indonesian Nepal diplomatic mission and human rights groups.
The deceased Prisha Shah, an 18-year-old B.Tech first-year student from Birganj, Nepal, was found dead in her hotel room Thursday night. According to police sources, Shah was found hanging in her room and preliminary investigations indicate this was a suicide case. However, authorities did not rule out other possibilities and said a thorough investigation is underway.
This marks a second such incident involving Nepali students at KIIT University within three months. Earlier, on February 16, third-year B.Tech student Prakriti Lamsal from Nepal was also found dead in her hotel room, raising serious questions about student welfare and mental health support on campus.
Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichan responded to the incident on Friday and assured that the state government would have to work to ensure justice for the deceased and their families.
The minister told reporters: “The Odisha government is determined to conduct a thorough inspection during the investigation.
He further added: “This is a sensitive legal issue. We can determine the cause and contributing factors only after a detailed investigation. Strict action will be taken if anyone is found guilty of negligence or misconduct.”
At the same time, the Nepal Embassy in New Delhi took serious attention to this incident. In a statement issued on Friday, the embassy confirmed the receipt of information about the death on the evening of May 1, 2025 and quickly contacted relevant authorities, including KIIT officials, Bhubaneswar Police Department, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant agencies.
The Embassy formally urged the Odisha government to conduct an independent and impartial investigation into the incident and stressed the need for Nepalese students with enhanced security and support measures to study in India.
“We have received instructions from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the Prime Minister of Nepal to closely monitor the case,” the embassy said.
Ambassador Dr Shankar Sharma personally spoke with Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, expressing grief over the premature death and requesting transparent, impartial inquiries.
While expressing condolences, the KIIT authorities have committed to fully cooperate with the investigation.
A university spokesperson said: “We are very sad about this loss. The university administration is providing all possible assistance to families and authorities. Internal reviews are also underway to strengthen the student support system.”
