Another KIIT University student dies in Bhubaneswar; body found near under-construction building

A third-year B.Tech student of KIIT University was found dead under mysterious circumstances under the Mancheswar police station area in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday. 

The incident has raised serious concerns, as this is the second suspicious death of a KIIT student within two months.

Body Discovered Near Under-Construction Building

The deceased student has been identified as Arnab Mukherjee, a native of Bankura, West Bengal. He was pursuing B.Tech (third year) at KIIT University and resided in one of the university hostels. However, the circumstances under which he reached Mancheswar, far from his hostel, remain unclear.

His body was discovered in an under-construction building; following which, local residents immediately informed the police. Upon arrival, the Mancheswar police recovered the body and sent it to Capital Hospital for post-mortem to ascertain the cause of death.

Unanswered Questions Surround the Case

Several questions remain unanswered, including how Arnab left his hostel and ended up in Mancheswar. Authorities are also investigating whether any foul play is involved or if it was a case of suicide or accident.

The Mancheswar police have registered a case of unnatural death and have launched an investigation into the incident. The police are examining CCTV footage, questioning hostel mates, and analyzing call records to gather more details.

With similar incidents being reported in the past, concerns are now growing over the security and well-being of students living away from home. The police are expected to reveal further details after the post-mortem report and ongoing investigations.

No comments have obtained from KIIT University officials on the death of the student.

Nepali Girl Student’s Death in February

On February 16, 2025, the KIIT University was embroiled in controversy following the tragic death of Prakriti Lamsal, a third-year B.Tech Computer Science student from Nepal. Her untimely demise, suspected to be a suicide, led to widespread protests and raised serious concerns about students’ welfare and institutional accountability at KIIT.

A high-level committee constituted by Odisha government started investigating the matter after several students were allegedly misbehaved and thrashed inside the campus.

Later, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) held KIIT University responsible for the tragic death of the Nepali student, citing negligence by the university authorities. The NHRC also directed Odisha Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja to submit an action taken report within four weeks.

Earlier, an NHRC team investigated the incident, between March 6 and 8, that left Odisha red-faced. Their findings reportedly indicate that the university's International Relations Officer (IRO), disciplinary committee, and administration failed to ensure the safety of students, leading to the unfortunate incident.