'Please get our people back, situation is horrible': Stranded Indian woman's desperate plea for help from Pokhara

Amid the deadly Gen Z–led protests in Nepal, an Indian tourist stranded in Pokhara has issued a desperate appeal for help from the Indian government.

In a viral video shared by journalist Prafful Garg, the woman—identifying herself as Upasana Gill—said protesters torched her hotel, destroying all her belongings. She also alleged that she was chased by a mob carrying sticks, forcing her to flee for her life.

“I had come here to host a volleyball league, and the hotel where I was staying has been burned down,” Gill said. “All my luggage, all my belongings, were in my room. I was in the spa when people ran behind me with very large sticks, and I barely managed to escape with my life.”

Making a direct plea to New Delhi, she added: “Indian government, please get all our people back. The situation is horrible in Nepal right now. Please.”

Gill claimed protesters were specifically targeting tourists. “Fires are being set on roads everywhere. They don’t care if someone is a tourist or here for work. They are setting fires without thinking, and the situation has become very, very bad,” she said.

With folded hands, she urged the Indian embassy to act swiftly. “There are many people with me here, and we are all stranded. We don’t know how long we can even stay in another hotel.

 

 

 

 

 

Responding to the worsening crisis, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) urged its citizens in Nepal to remain vigilant and follow local guidelines amid widespread curfews.

 

“Indian nationals in Nepal are advised to exercise caution and adhere to the steps and guidelines issued by the Nepali authorities,” the MEA said in a statement.

The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu also released emergency helpline numbers: +977 980 860 2881 and +977 981 032 6134.

 

Meanwhile, the protests in Nepal have escalated sharply. Demonstrators, angered by the Oli government’s short-lived social media ban, have expanded their agitation into a broader anti-corruption movement.

 

Violence has spread across major cities, with government offices and politicians’ homes set on fire. Former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife were reportedly assaulted before being rescued. On Tuesday, Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli resigned amid mounting criticism and demands for accountability. However, his exit has done little to calm the unrest, as the “Gen Z Revolution” continues to grip the country.