Bhubaneswar: The Infocity Police have taken Advik Srivastava, a student from Lucknow, into custody for three days in connection with the tragic death of Prakriti Lamsal, a Nepalese student at KIIT University. Advik, reportedly her ex-boyfriend, is facing charges under Section 108 of the BNS (abetment of suicide).
To gather evidence, police have sent the mobile phones and laptops of both Prakriti and Advik for forensic analysis.
Viral Audio Clip Raises Questions
The case gained even more attention after an audio clip, allegedly featuring a heated argument between Advik and Prakriti, went viral on social media. In the recording, a male voice—believed to be Advik—can be heard verbally abusing a female voice identified as Prakriti. The police are now conducting a voice spectrography test to verify its authenticity.
Prakriti’s cousin, who filed the police complaint, claimed she was being blackmailed by a male student from the university, which may have pushed her to take her own life. He also alleged that she had reported the issue to the university’s International Relations Office, but no action was taken.
Meanwhile, KIIT University acknowledged that Prakriti was in a relationship with another student and suggested that undisclosed personal reasons might have led to her tragic decision.
Growing Unrest and Nepal’s Intervention
The incident sparked widespread protests, especially after allegations emerged that the university forcefully evicted agitating students without arranging proper travel assistance. The situation escalated to the point where Nepal’s Prime Minister had to step in, urging authorities to ensure the safety of Nepalese students studying at KIIT.
To control the situation, the Odisha government formed a high-level committee to investigate the case. The university also issued an official apology and took action against its staff—suspending three employees and dismissing two security guards accused of assaulting students during the protests.
Odisha Government Steps In
On Wednesday, Odisha’s Chief Minister Mohan Majhi, who was in Rajasthan at the time, spoke with Nepalese officials Sanjeeb Das Sharma and Navin Raj Adhikari. They met with Odisha’s Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling, Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, and Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja to discuss the situation.
Majhi assured justice for Prakriti and urged Nepalese students to return to the campus and continue their studies. Meanwhile, a three-member panel, led by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Satyabrata Sahu, visited KIIT University to personally address the concerns of Nepalese students and guarantee their safety.
For now, police have taken control of the KIIT campus to maintain order as the investigation continues.
