Nepal crisis: 2,000 Indians return via Panitanki border in last three days

New Delhi, Sep 12 At least 2,000 Indians have returned to their country in the last three days through the Panitanki border in West Bengal's Siliguri, after overcoming the terrible situation in the violence-hit Nepal.

An SSB official said that nearly 2,000 Indians have returned from Nepal after the violence broke out in India’s north-eastern neighbour.

“The Indians who returned home breathed a sigh of relief. The shadow of the terrible experience due to the unrest in Nepal was visible on their faces,” the official informed.

He pointed out that all those Indians had gone to work as labourers or as tourists.

On Thursday, the evacuation of stranded Telugu people from violence-hit Nepal also took place with a special flight carrying 12 people taking off from Simikot, while another group of 22 people safely returned by road.

Minister for Real Time Governance Nara Lokesh, who supervised the evacuation efforts, said an IndiGo flight is planned from Kathmandu to New Delhi to airlift over 200 people.

The minister posted on 'X' that 133 people have already been escorted to the airport under convoy protection.

A group of 22 people who travelled via a special bus from Hetauda safely entered the Indian territory. The group has reached Bihar and will travel to Delhi.

A special flight, carrying 12 people from Simikot to Nepalganj on the Indian border, took off at 9 a.m. TDP MP Sana Satish coordinated with local authorities for the evacuation operation. From Nepalganj, vehicles are in place to transport the group to Lucknow, from where they will fly to Hyderabad.

Meanwhile, Nepal President Ram Chandra Poudel said on Thursday that efforts are being made to find a solution within the framework set, as concerns are being raised about potential deviation from the constitutional course to settle the tense political situation in the country post Gen-Z revolution.

He also urged all sides to have faith in the efforts being made to address the demands of the Gen-Z protesters while asking them to cooperate calmly in maintaining peace and order in the country.

The President’s remarks have come at a time when the political parties, leaders and civil society activists are expressing fear about the fate of democracy if the solution deviates from the constitutional course.

Currently, the Gen-Z leaders who launched protests against Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli's government, leading to his ouster from the post, are discussing with the top brass of the Nepal Army, which has taken the responsibility of maintaining the law and order situation and ordered curfew till Friday morning in the Kathmandu Valley.

With the Nepal Army taking the lead in negotiations with Gen-Z leaders, a certain group of people is out on the streets, demanding that democracy be preserved and that any army rule be prevented. President Poudel has indicated he is in charge of the negotiation, even though the Nepal Army and protesting Gen-Z leaders are discussing the future political course. The President is the ceremonial Commander-in-Chief of the Nepal Army, as per the constitution.

Former Chief Justice Sushila Karki still appears to be the frontrunner to lead the next interim government. Kathmandu City Mayor Balen Shah has also thrown his weight behind Karki.

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