An uneasy calm prevailed in Nepal on Friday following days of violent anti-corruption protests spearheaded by Nepalese youth, which have left 51 dead and hundreds injured. One Indian woman from Ghaziabad and three police personnel were among the deceased, police said.
Meanwhile, amid a political vacuum in Nepal after the downfall of the KP Sharma Oli government, sources indicated that Nepal's former Chief Justice, Sushila Karki, is poised to be appointed as interim prime minister. Her appointment has been delayed by factionalism among the de facto leaders of the protest movement, with a second group nominating former Nepal Electricity Authority chief Kulman Ghising for the top position.
The protests, which originally erupted over a social media ban, rapidly escalated into a broader anti-corruption movement that ultimately forced Oli's resignation. The fury was so intense that not only were the residences of nearly all ministers ransacked and torched, but the Parliament building was also gutted by fire.
NEPAL GEN Z PROTEST: LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Sources informed that discussions to install Sushila Karki as head of the interim government were in their concluding phase. Karki participated in a protracted meeting between the Army and a Gen Z delegation that extended well beyond midnight. She also enjoys the support of Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah.
On Thursday, the delegation was unable to agree on the interim prime minister after a faction suggested the 54-year-old Kulman Ghising, who is acclaimed for resolving Nepal's protracted electricity shortages.
Today, all eyes will be on the second round of talks between the Army and the Gen Z delegation. It will centre on establishing an interim government and dissolving Parliament.
Signs of normality re-emerged on the streets of Nepal's major cities. Although the Army patrolled the capital and inspected every vehicle entering the city, shops reopened and citizens' groups were observed clearing the rubble.
Meanwhile, India has commenced airlifting stranded nationals via special flights. More than 140 individuals from Andhra Pradesh were safely evacuated from Kathmandu. Numerous Indians also made their way back through the land border at Sonauli in Uttar Pradesh and at Panitanki in Darjeeling.
A bus run by the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) that operates between the capital and Kathmandu has been marooned in Nepal since Wednesday. Furthermore, eight Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims from Ayodhya remain stranded at Hilsa in Nepal near the Chinese border.
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An Indian volleyball squad stranded in Nepal has been rescued by the Indian Embassy and relocated to a secure location. This followed a video plea by a team member, Upasana Gill, that gained widespread attention online.
In the meantime, the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) has apprehended 67 prisoners as they attempted to enter India via various border posts after escaping from jails in Nepal.
Amid the turmoil, a woman from Ghaziabad, Rajesh Gola, perished in Kathmandu when protesters set fire to the Hyatt Hotel where she was staying with her husband. The unrest in the Himalayan nation, whose economy depends heavily on tourism, has gravely affected Nepal's hotel sector, which has seen a 50 per cent decline in trade. Staple items such as rice, lentils, and cooking oil have also become costlier.
Also Read: Over 150 stranded Telugu people in Nepal boarded flight home
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