Indian pilgrims returning from the Pashupatinath temple were attacked on Thursday morning amid violent demonstrations in Nepal. According to information received from sources, the miscreants pelted stones at a bus with Uttar Pradesh number. Glasses of the bus windows were broken and bags, money and mobile phones were robbed from passengers. Many people were also injured.
Bus driver Raj, who hails from Andhra Pradesh, told that while returning to India, the mob surrounded the bus and attacked the goods. This broken bus reached Sonauli border (Maharajganj, UP) on Thursday evening. According to bus staff Shyamu Nishad, 7-8 passengers were injured in the incident, but the Nepali army helped. Later, the Indian government airlifted all the passengers from Kathmandu to Delhi.
On the other hand, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said that around 200 Telugu passengers are still stranded in Nepal. At the same time, Delhi-Kathmandu Friendship Bus Service of Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) is also stuck in Nepal.
Why protest in Nepal?
Demonstrations started from 8 September in several cities including Kathmandu, Pokhara, Butwal and Birganj. The government banned the big social media platforms. This ban was imposed saying that there is an issue of tax and cyber security. But the public called it an attack on freedom of expression. At the same time, the “Napo Babies” trend, which showed the life-luxury life of the children of the leaders, further enraged the anger.
So far, 30 people have died and more than 1,000 people have been injured in these demonstrations. Curfew was imposed when the situation deteriorated and many ministers resigned. KP Oli also had to resign from the post of Prime Minister.
