Nepali students in India anxious as protests rock homeland

Nepali students in India say they have put their plans to travel home on hold and call up their families repeatedly, fearful of their safety amid the violent protests rattling the Himalayan nation.

The student-led "Gen Z" protests in Nepal that began against a government ban on social media expanded into a larger campaign reflecting growing public criticism of the KP Sharma Oli dispensation and the country's political elite over alleged corruption and apathy towards the common people.

Prime Minister Oli resigned in the face of massive protests for a second day, even as the ban on social media was lifted late on Monday night. The demonstrators stormed many government buildings and set the parliament as well as homes of several high-profile leaders ablaze, a day after 19 people died in violence.

Against this backdrop, Nepali students in India are living in anxiety.

A master's student at Delhi University's Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) said he had cancelled his plans to travel home, which is near Kathmandu, for the Dussehra festival.

"I was looking forward to being with my family, but they have advised me to stay back in Delhi until the situation there stabilises," he said.

Manoj Chaudhary from Nepal's Birgunj, pursuing MBA at IIT-Dhanbad, said the situation in his hometown was calmer compared to the capital. Still, he has suspended his plans to visit home.

"I was planning to visit Nepal soon, but now all my plans are on hold. My family is safe, but I am worried about Kathmandu, where buildings have been set on fire and students have lost their lives. That should never have happened. I only hope peace returns quickly," he said.

Another Delhi University student said her immediate parents and siblings live with her in Delhi, but her grandparents and extended relatives are in Nepal.

"I am deeply worried about them. Every day we hear news of protests turning violent, and it is painful not knowing how safe they are," she said.

A first-year DU student said the reports of deaths and destruction had shaken him. "I never thought students would be killed for raising their voice. It feels like the country is being torn apart." "I used to ask friends here to visit Nepal for its beauty, but now I feel sad about what is happening," he said, adding that he calls his family every few hours to check on their safety.

A PhD scholar at the South Asian University, who earlier studied at Jawaharlal Nehru University, said the unrest had left her disturbed even though her family lives in a rural area, which is relatively safe.

"When your country suffers, you feel helpless sitting far away. The violence was tragic, but I hope the protests open the way for something positive," she said.

Another DU student said he had deferred his trip home indefinitely.

"I was supposed to see my parents later this month, but I can't take that risk now. All I do is wait for messages from family and friends, hoping they are safe," he said.

India advised its citizens to defer travelling to Nepal until the condition stabilises.