Bhubaneswar: The father of the 20-year-old BTech student from Nepal, who died by suicide at a private education institute in the city on Sunday, claimed she had been facing harassment and blackmail from a fellow student. The accused, who was from Lucknow, was arrested on Monday for abetting her suicide.
The bereaved father stated that police informed him about the accused’s actions of blackmailing his daughter using her photographs. He alleged that despite his daughter reporting the matter to university officials, they did not respond.
He also expressed strong disapproval of how Nepali students were treated during their protest. “KIIT conducted several camps in Nepal and invited students of our country to study at their institute. We sent our children for higher education to Bhubaneswar. The shameful treatment of our children hurt me,” he said, adding, “I saw a viral video where two women officers of the institute were making derogatory comments about Nepal and its economy.”
He voiced his concern about other students’ well-being. “I urge university authorities and the govt to ensure student safety and their uninterrupted academic progression. They should not hold a grudge against the Nepali students.”
On Tuesday, doctors at AIIMS Bhubaneswar completed the autopsy and handed over the student’s body to her father for her last rites.