'Mother dead, found father in relief camp': Indian tourists recount how Nepal's Gen-Z protests turned nightmare for them

Smoke billows from a burning supermarket building of Nepal's renowned retail chain Bhat-Bhateni, a day after it was set ablaze by protesters in Kathmandu on September 10, 2025.

With at least 34 people killed and over 1,300 injured, Nepal is slowly emerging from one of its worst bouts of political unrest in recent years. The violent demonstrations led by Generation Z protesters forced Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to resign earlier this week. As the Himalayan nation debates who should lead an interim government, Indian tourists caught in the turmoil are recounting how their pilgrimage and holiday plans turned into a nightmare of fire, mob violence and desperate escapes.

Tragedy strikes a family from Ghaziabad

Among the most harrowing accounts is that of a couple from Ghaziabad. Their elder son, Vishal, told the Times of India that his parents had been thrilled about their Nepal visit. “They video-called us to show us Kathmandu’s sights. But on the night of September 9, chaos erupted. The mob stormed the hotel and set it on fire. As the stairways got filled with smoke, my father broke the windowpane, tied sheets, and jumped onto a mattress. My mother slipped while trying to climb down and fell heavily on her back,” he said.

For two days, the family did not know where the parents were because of communication blackouts. “Finally, my father was found in a relief camp, but my mother died in the hospital,” Vishal added. Her remains were brought through the Sonauli border to Ghaziabad on Thursday (September 11) and her last rites are scheduled for today (September 12).

A busload of pilgrims attacked

Another group of Indians faced an equally terrifying ordeal when their bus was attacked near Kathmandu. According to Nepal police, the incident occurred on Thursday (September 11) as more than 40 pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh were returning from a visit to the Pashupatinath Temple.

The attackers hurled stones at the bus before robbing passengers of their bags, cash and mobile phones. “We were returning after darshan at the Pashupatinath Temple, when suddenly a mob surrounded our bus and attacked without reason,” driver Ramu Nishad told reporters. “There were women and elderly people among the passengers, but the protesters did not care,” he added.

Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims stranded

The unrest also left hundreds of Indians stranded at the Nepal-China border during the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. Some were stuck in Taklakot, others in Darchen, with no clarity on when they could leave. Sridhar from Andhra Pradesh told The Hindu, “We urge the Government of India to help us as there are hundreds of us here and the Nepal border is not yet open.”

On Thursday, the Indian Embassy said the border crossings had become operational again and thanked Chinese authorities for their prompt assistance. “It is learnt that the border crossings are now operational and Indian pilgrims undertaking Kailash Mansarovar Yatra are able to return to India via Nepal in a safe and smooth manner. We thank the local authorities in the Tibet Autonomous Region and China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their prompt assistance. Our helpline numbers continue to be operational,” it posted on X.

Escaping through side roads

Some Indians escaped by taking roundabout routes. Anand Kumar Shah, a 58-year-old civil court advocate from Muzaffarpur in Bihar, had travelled to Pokhara with his wife and neighbour. When protests broke out, their guide steered them away from main roads. “We did run into some protesters, but they let us pass. They were angry with their own government,” he told Indian Express.

Shah’s journey back was a relay of different modes of transport. “We took a small car to Bharatpur, then a bus to Pathlaiya, followed by an auto to Jaitapur, and finally an e-rickshaw just kilometres before the border,” he said. When they finally reached the Indian side of the Maitri Bridge in Raxaul on Thursday morning, the three travellers looked exhausted but relieved. “There is a major feeling of relief after reaching here,” Shah said.

‘Absolute anarchy everywhere’

Gauri K, a resident of Bengaluru who had come to Nepal to pray at the Pashupatinath temple, described scenes of chaos. “There was absolute anarchy everywhere. Smoke was billowing from buildings torched by mobs. Though a curfew was in place, youths were roaming freely, and we also heard gunshots intermittently,” she told PTI. She added that Wednesday was relatively peaceful because of the curfew, but “gun-toting students were still roaming on the roads.”

Others like Priyanka Patel from Ahmedabad said they had to abandon their itineraries entirely. “We had been in outer areas of Kathmandu for the last couple of days. After witnessing violence in different parts of Nepal, we all abandoned our further journey and arrived at Kathmandu International Airport on Tuesday night, only to find it closed. Some of our group members then contacted the Indian Embassy and informed them about our situation. The embassy personnel took us to a private hotel in the city centre under strict protection,” she told Indian Express.

Waiting for peace

Reports have also emerged of 200 tourists from Karnataka stuck at Tribhuvan International Airport. They were moved to nearby restobars on Wednesday while officials worked on an evacuation plan. “There are several challenges involved, and the team is addressing them,” an official told The Hindu.

For now, Indians who went to Nepal for pilgrimage or leisure are hoping the worst is over. Many remain in hotels or temporary shelters, praying for peace to return and for a safe journey home.