Indian nationals stranded in Nepal are pleading for urgent assistance as violent protests sweep the country, with tourists reporting attacks on hotels, arson in the streets and growing fears for their safety.
Upasana Gill, a presenter and corporate speaker from India urged for help after being stranded in Pokhara, Nepal, where violent protests have claimed at least 25 lives and forced Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to resign.
She had travelled to Nepal to host a volleyball league but was forced to flee for her life when demonstrators attacked and set fire to her hotel.
In a video message sent to Praful Garg, she appealed to the Indian embassy for assistance.
"My name is Upasana Gill, and I am sending this video to Praful Garg. I request the Indian embassy to please help us. Everyone who can help, please do. I am stranded in Pokhara, Nepal," she said.
Gill escaped from protesters, who were armed with large sticks, while she was in the hotel spa.
"I had come here to host a volleyball league, and the hotel where I was staying has been burned down. All my luggage and belongings were inside. I was in the spa when people started chasing me with large sticks, and I somehow managed to escape with my life," she recounted.
She warned of the dangerous situation unfolding in the city. "The situation is terrible. Fires are being set on roads everywhere. They are not sparing tourists. They don’t care if you are here for travel or work. They are burning everything without hesitation," she said, urging others to share her video appeal.
"We don’t know how long we can stay in another hotel. I request the Indian embassy to rescue us. Many people are with me here. Whoever can, please share this video and make sure it reaches the embassy. With folded hands, I beg you to help us. We are stranded,” she added.
Indian tourists, many from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Maharashtra are stranded in Kathmandu after unrest swept through the Nepalese capital, according to accounts from those stuck in the city.
As many as 112 tourists from Murbad taluka in Thane district are trapped in Kathmandu and Pokhara cities in Nepal, caught in the turmoil caused by anti-government protests.
The group has appealed to the Maharashtra government to ensure the safe evacuation, said Murbad MLA Kisan Kathore. "47 of these tourists are currently sheltered in a hotel in Kathmandu, where the most intense riots have taken place. The remaining 65 are located in a hotel in Pokhara.
"We have spoken to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and the Thane district collector regarding the safe return of these 112 tourists," he said in a statement on Wednesday.
In a video call with Kathore, the stranded tourists described the terrifying situation on the ground and requested to be brought home as soon as possible. The increasing violence and the uncertainty of the situation have left the stranded group feeling vulnerable and anxious.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday assured that her government is working to bring home tourists from the state who are stranded in violence-hit Nepal, promising their safe return within a couple of days.
Speaking at an official programme in Jalpaiguri, Banerjee said she had been closely monitoring the situation in the neighbouring country. "I will appeal to the tourists stranded in Nepal not to panic. We will bring them back in a couple of days," she said.
Gauri K, a Chennai resident working in Bengaluru, said she and her sister were trapped at a hotel along with more than 150 Indian tourists after flight services were cancelled. She had traveled to Nepal for a Kailash-Mansarovar expedition.
"Today we had a flight, but due to unrest in Kathmandu, all airline companies have cancelled their services. I am now held up in this hotel," Gauri told PTI.
She said the tourist agency had booked their accommodation only until Tuesday, but with flights grounded, guests had been unable to leave. Of those stranded at the hotel, around 20 are from Bengaluru, she added.
Gauri described Tuesday’s scene in the capital as one of "absolute anarchy," with smoke rising from torched buildings and youths roaming freely on the streets despite a curfew. "We also heard gunshots intermittently," she said, adding that Wednesday was calmer due to stricter enforcement of restrictions, although "gun-totting students were still roaming on the roads."
Hotel staff have advised guests not to step outside, warning that mobs are effectively in control of parts of the city. "We are praying for the resumption of flight services. We also heard that airlines are making a killing by charging astronomical prices from Kathmandu to New Delhi," she said.
The protests, which began as student-led demonstrations against a social media ban, expanded into a nationwide movement against corruption and nepotism.
On Tuesday, protesters stormed the prime minister’s office, prompting Oli to submit his resignation to President Ram Chandra Paudel.
"Considering the worsening situation in the country, I resign effective today to enable a solution and ensure resolution in line with the constitution," his letter stated.
In an effort to restore order, the Nepal Army has imposed movement restrictions from morning until 5 pm, followed by a night curfew until 6 am.
Authorities have warned that protests, vandalism, arson, and violence against individuals or property during these hours will be treated as criminal offences.