Deeply saddened: New Delhi on Nepali student’s death

New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday said it is “deeply saddened” over the death of a Nepali student at the KIIT University in Bhubaneswar.

The body of the 18-year-old B.Tech computer science student from Nepal was recovered from her hostel room at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) on Thursday evening, according to police. The death of the student came over two-and-a-half months after a woman student from Nepal died at the same institute, allegedly by suicide.

The MEA said the Odisha government has extended “full support” to the family of the deceased, and a thorough enquiry is currently being conducted by Odisha Police.

“We are deeply saddened by the tragic demise of a Nepali student of KIIT University, Bhubaneswar,” it said.

“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family during this difficult time,” it added in a statement.

The MEA said the Government of India takes the safety, security and well-being of all international students “very seriously”.

“We remain in close contact with the Nepali authorities, the Odisha state government as well as KIIT management to ensure real-time communication and coordination in this matter,” it said.

Concerned about the safety of Nepalese students at KIIT in Odisha, the government of the neighbouring country on Friday initiated diplomatic efforts to ensure a high-level probe into the death of the 18-year-old girl studying here, a day after she was found hanging in the technology institute.

The Nepal Embassy also took up the matter with Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, who assured them of all kinds of safety and security for students from the neighbouring country.