Bhubaneswar police assure fair investigation into death of Nepali student

Kathmandu, February 18 — The police in Bhubaneswar-Cuttack, India, have arrested the individual implicated in the death of Nepali student Prakriti Lamsal and have begun an ongoing investigation.

In a press statement, the police confirmed that they arrested Advik Srivastava on Monday and that the investigation is continuing.

Lamsal, a third-year Computer Science student, was found dead on Sunday night at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT). 

According to the police, on Sunday, 24-year-old Siddhanta Sigdel, a third-year B.Tech Mechanical student, filed a complaint with the Infocity police station.

In the complaint, Sigdel mentioned that Lamsal had committed suicide after being allegedly mistreated by 21-year-old Advik Srivastava, also a third-year student at the same university.

Based on this complaint, the police filed an FIR for abetment of suicide the same day. Srivastava was arrested on Monday and placed under judicial custody. 

The police also mentioned that they have seized Srivastava's documents and electronic devices as evidence, and the investigation is ongoing.

Meanwhile, the university has issued a directive asking Nepali students protesting on campus to return home.

However, they have also appealed to the students to return and assured them that their safety has been ensured.

The police have committed to conducting a fair investigation into the case.