A Nepali engineering student, aged 20, has died under tragic circumstances at an Odisha university, with her peers claiming that harassment by a fellow student may have contributed to her death. Reports suggest that she had informed the university administration about the bullying but did not receive the help she needed. The harassment allegedly involved both verbal insults and public humiliation, which wore down her mental health and self-esteem.
As an international student, the victim was navigating not only the challenges of a demanding engineering program but also the cultural and social barriers of living in a foreign country. Her friends and classmates describe how the isolation and pressure she faced impacted her significantly. Many feel that had the university taken her concerns more seriously, this tragedy could have been prevented.
This incident shines a light on the vulnerabilities of international students and the importance of ensuring their mental health needs are adequately met. Experts suggest that universities must adopt proactive measures to ensure that harassment claims are dealt with swiftly and effectively, offering emotional support to those who are experiencing distress. The failure of the university to protect this student calls for urgent reform in how campuses handle allegations of bullying and student well-being.
