Scores of Indian nationals crossed over the India-Nepal border at Panitanki in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district on Tuesday and returned to India as the situation in Nepal continues to remain tensed following the second day of protests in multiple parts of the country.
The border districts in Uttar Pradesh also saw empty markets, with residents facing trouble due to disruption in daily lives, cancelled travel plans, and severed contact with family members living across the border.
People returning from Nepal expressed relief upon reaching Indian soil. “The situation is out of control there…We are from Assam and are returning from Nepal. It feels good. Jaan wapas aa gaya,” said Kohila, a resident of Assam, visibly relieved after crossing the border.
Here are the top updates:
- Protestors on Tuesday set several government buildings and the Parliament on fire a day after 19 people died in violence. They also set the private residence of former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, former home minister, and other top leaders of the country ablaze, as the ‘Gen Z’ protests continued against the alleged corruption in the Nepal government.
- Nepal’s ex-prime minister Jhalanath Khanal’s wife Rajyalaxmi Chitrakar died on Tuesday after protestors set their house on fire in Kathmandu’s Dallu area, leaving her trapped inside.
- KP Sharma Oli was forced to resign from his Prime Ministerial post as the protests continued to grow violent.
- The Nepal Army also took over control of the country’s security operations and later of the Tribhuvan International Airport after protestors tried to enter its premises on Tuesday evening. IndiGo and Nepal Airlines also cancelled their flights from Delhi to Kathmandu. The Nepal Army chief also asked the Gen Z protestors for a dialogue, urging them to take a peaceful way out of this volatile situation.
- The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and West Bengal Police have intensified security at Panitanki, the Indian border town and the principal transit point to Nepal from north Bengal and the Northeast.
- Markets fell silent in Bahraich’s Rupaidiha town in Uttar Pradesh, which usually bustles with Nepali shoppers. Locals said the temporary social media ban, which started the agitation in Nepal, had even cut off communication with relatives across the border. Markets in Lakhimpur Kheri near the Gaurifanta border area were also affected.
- In Maharajganj’s Sonauli, bus operators and travel agents complained of severe losses as the border closure drove away tourists. Gorakhpur and Maharajganj also wore a deserted look due to thin arrivals from Nepal.
- At least 19 people were killed and 500 were injured in clashes with security forces during protest against the government’s decision to impose a ban on 26 major social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and YouTube. It was further fueled by public frustration over corruption, nepotism, and economic inequality.