Protestors in Nepal(L), Stranded passengers hailing from Karnataka at Kathmandu airport.
Credit: Reuters, Special Arrangement
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday instructed Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh to ensure the safe return of 39 Kannadigas stranded at the Kathmandu airport in Nepal.
Shalini has initiated discussions with authorities concerned to facilitate the safe return of the stranded Kannadigas.
The 39-member group, which had gone to Kathmandu on August 24 for a two-week vacation, remained stranded at the airport due to the tense situation after protests broke out against a ban on social media.
At least 19 people were killed and over 100 injured in clashes with security forces after thousands of young people took to the streets.
The group's return on September 7 was delayed due to bad weather conditions. The protests further delayed it to 1.45 pm on September 9 (Tuesday).
But when the travellers reached the airport to board the flight to Bengaluru, they were asked to evacuate as part of the curfew, according to a city resident whose sister is among the 39 people stranded at the airport.
Rajani Maski and her husband Raghuveer Yavagal are among Kannadigas stuck at the airport.
Rajani’s brother Rakesh Maski told DH, "They were asked to evacuate the airport on Tuesday afternoon and were searching for a hotel."
However, the whole 39-member group managed to get back to the airport towards the evening and was waiting for their next flight when Rakesh last spoke to his sister.
Rakesh said that during their stay, the group did not face any untoward incident but was instructed to follow the curfew for their own safety.
"They told me they were safe at that moment, but I have not been able to connect with them since," he added.
In a message to a neighbour, Rajani recalled the struggle to get to a hotel after being asked to leave the airport.
Meanwhile, 120 Indians, including Kannadigas, are stranded at a hotel in Kamaladi in Kathmandu.
Some of them had arrived in Kathmandu only on September 8 and were moved to the hotel around midnight.
A Bengaluru-based journalist, who is part of the group, said that they saw buildings and vehicles being set on fire, heard gunshots and witnessed rioting throughout the day.
The journalist reported that the airport had been shut and there was no indication when it would reopen.
"With active protests and riots breaking out in the country, all shops have been closed. People outside the hotels will not be able to eat or buy food because everything is closed," she said.
Rashmi, from HSR Layout, told DH, "We have been seeing smoke in the sky and fires since 11 am."
Twelve members of this group were scheduled to fly to Bengaluru by an Air India flight at 9.15 am on September but the service has since been cancelled.
Gayathri T K, one of those stranded, told DH, "The situation is tense and we just want to exit the country, we do not mind where the flight takes us we just want to leave Kathmandu.”
An Indigo flight is scheduled to leave at 2.15 pm on Wednesday, carrying 100 Indians to Delhi and then to Chennai.