Rescue Mission Intensifies Amidst Turmoil in Nepal

The rescue operation initiated by the Andhra Pradesh government to bring back Indian tourists stranded in Nepal is gaining momentum. On Thursday, 154 boarding passes were issued to Indian tourists in Kathmandu. A charter plane from Simikot carrying 12 Telugu tourists successfully landed in Nepalganj, where arranged cars crossed the border, ensuring the safe return of all passengers to India.

Another charter plane transported 10 Telugu citizens from Pokhara to Kathmandu. These passengers will continue their journey to India on an Indigo flight. In Kathmandu, 154 Indian tourists received boarding passes and have safely arrived, with the Indigo commercial aircraft organized by the Andhra Pradesh government already in place.

Earlier, Andhra Pradesh Cabinet Minister Nara Lokesh revealed on X that 22 Telugu individuals had safely returned to India. He confirmed ongoing efforts to repatriate those still stranded. The Andhra Pradesh government has urged Telugu tourists in Nepal to contact the Indian Embassy through numbers available for both calls and WhatsApp.

The crisis unfolds against the backdrop of violent protests in Nepal, where 31 have died, and 1,033 are injured. Protests spearheaded by the Gen-Z youth group demand transparency and an end to the social media ban. Violence erupted as demonstrators attempted to storm parliament. The government defends the ban to control fake news, while rights groups decry it as censorship.