What began as a sacred Himalayan journey turned harrowing for 38-year-old Rajani Maski and her husband Raghuveer Yavagal from Bengaluru. The couple, part of a 130-member group organized by the Isha Foundation, had travelled to Mansarovar for a spiritual retreat, only to find themselves trapped at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport due to growing political unrest in Nepal.
Nepal’s youth is protesting against Monday’s killing of 19 people after anti-corruption demonstrations that were triggered by a social media ban, in Kathmandu.(REUTERS)
Rajani spoke to reporters from the airport, where she and hundreds of others have been stuck for over 24 hours, as per a report by The Times of India. “We don’t know what to do. The airport gates are shut, they won’t let us out, and the military and police are pushing us back inside. There is no food, no water, and no shops open to even buy something to eat,” she said. Many of the stranded are from Karnataka, particularly Bengaluru, all desperately awaiting a way back home.
Their group had returned to Kathmandu on Monday night around 10:30 pm after a 10-day pilgrimage. However, instead of winding down, they were met with tense streets filled with smoke and the glow of burning tyres and wood.
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Hoping to return to India the next day, Rajani and her husband made their way to the airport for a 1 pm flight to Bengaluru on Tuesday. But their relief was short-lived. The airport was sealed off, flights were cancelled, and barricades surrounded the area, she recounted. Hotel staff had managed to arrange a cab for them, but once inside the terminal, things deteriorated further.
According to Rajani, nearly 1,000 people were crammed inside the terminal, including close to 200 from Karnataka. Most had not carried essentials, assuming they could buy food and water inside. The situation outside the airport isn’t much better. Efforts by some to leave the terminal and check into hotels have been hampered by Kathmandu’s volatile streets.
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Help on the way
In response to the escalating protests that have engulfed parts of Nepal and disrupted daily life, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has instructed Chief Secretary Shalini Rajaneesh to coordinate the safe return of 39 stranded Kannadigas.
“The Chief Secretary has discussed with the concerned authorities and taken necessary actions. The state government is committed to safely bringing every Kannadiga facing difficulties in Nepal back to their homeland,” a posy by the CM on X stated.