Nepal unrest: 'I feared for my life. Was told to stay put. It's chaos everywhere'

NAGPUR/SILIGURI: Maharashtra men stranded in Nepal hide in hotels. At Bengal's Panitanki border, Indians stagger home while Nepalese wait in despair.

Ajay Gaur from Amravati said over phone on Wednesday he fled burnt vehicles between Manari and Hetauda. "I have been working in Nepal seven years. I was supposed to leave for Varanasi today. I missed my train after violent protests. I then rode a bike. I feared for my life. Authorities told us to stay put. It is a nightmarish experience everywhere," he said.

At Panitanki, contrasting scenes were seen. Indians crossed into Bengal with relief. Nepalese people stood stuck at the Mechi river bridge, anxious to enter India. Security was tightened at Panitanki-Kakarbhitta and Pashupatinagar, 29km from Darjeeling.

Senior Bengal police and SSB officers monitored. "Our side is peaceful. Nepal is not. We are monitoring," Bengal police ADG Ajay Nand said.

Around 31 Indians were reported stuck in Kakarbhitta border town. Only a few crossed back Wednesday. Nepal residents were barred. Immigration stayed suspended. Over 200 trucks, some with rice and other food items, lined up helpless.

Returnees spoke of horror. Bipin Kumar Choudhary from Bihar's Samastipur entered Biratnagar on Sept 8. "An eight-year-old boy was shot in the chest. With govt toppled, anything could happen. Protests were low-key today, so we returned. But Nepal is highly volatile," he said.

Akshay Kanherkar of Amravati, who worked six years in Butwal, said his friends from UP and Vidarbha (Maharashtra) are stuck. Seema Devi from Bengal fled Biratnagar without completing an eye check-up. Proximity, affordability, shorter waiting times, and expertise in cataract and corneal surgeries make Nepal a convenient choice for many Indians. "My doctor called me for a follow-up. Protests erupted. I saw mobs burning tyres. Bloodied bodies lay on the streets," Devi said.

On the other side, Nepal residents begged to enter India. Saru Rai of Kakarbhitta pleaded for her sick daughter. "She is in a Siliguri hospital with appendicitis. We waited over three hours. Families like ours depend on India for essential needs. With govt toppled, no authority helps us," she said.