(Image source from: Mid-day.com)

During demonstrations in Nepal, pilgrims returning from their visit to Kailash Mansarovar are stuck at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport for more than a day after flights were halted by the authorities. “Four out of the six flights that were planned to bring passengers back to Kathmandu were canceled after the airport was shut down around 1 p.m. on Tuesday. About 700 travelers are stranded. We are aware of the situation and are communicating with the airlines and the Ministry of External Affairs," a senior government official shared with The Hindu on the condition of anonymity. Among those stuck at the airport is a group of 130 devotees from Isha Foundation who went to Mansarovar. “We are unsure of what to do. The airport entrances are locked, they won't allow us to exit, and the military and police are forcing us back inside. There is no food, no water, and no stores open to buy anything to eat," stated 38-year-old Rajani Maski to Times of India. She is traveling with her husband Raghuveer Yavagal from Bengaluru.

“We feel like we are imprisoned in a closed area. People are anxious, some are crying, and others are becoming ill. There's only one place to charge our devices for everyone, which makes it harder to keep in touch with our families back home," she added. “Many are considering leaving the airport to find a safer place, but the streets are messy. We feel trapped no matter what," she continued. The Hindu mentioned that airline officials indicated all airport employees, including security and airline staff, had been ordered to leave the airport and go home immediately, creating complete disorder at the airport. KP Sharma Oli stepped down as Prime Minister on Tuesday after violent protests sparked by a social media ban and growing outrage over corruption. At least 19 people lost their lives, and hundreds sustained injuries during the fierce clashes between the authorities and the protesters, mostly young people in what has been labeled the “Gen Z" movement.