MUMBAI/NAGPUR: At least 170 tourists from Maharashtra were stranded in Nepal in the wake of violent protests. These included 112 from Murbad in Thane district, 15 from Mumbai and 40 from Pune. The state govt was coordinating efforts with the Centre to evacuate them as flights resumed from Kathmandu airport Wednesday night.Minister of state for home (urban) Yogesh Kadam told mediapersons the govt was aware of around 100 stranded tourists from Maharashtra and was in contact with the Centre to provide assistance.Mayur Patil, a tourist from Mumbai, said, “Our group of 15 people had come for Pashupatinath darshan Sept 8. The Indian embassy in Kathmandu has instructed us to stay put wherever we are. They will tell us what to do next.”The State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) is coordinating with the ministry of external affairs and the Indian embassy in Nepal to ensure food, accommodation and repatriation. An officer manning the state SEOC dept said, “We issued an advisory Tuesday after which 102 tourists from Maharashtra so far have registered on our helpline. They are all safe. Food supply and accommodation is unstable but there are helpful Nepalese who are assisting our citizens. People will be flown out at the earliest opportunity.”Around 112 people from Murbad were in hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Tukaram Mope, one of 47 tourists stuck at Everest hotel, Kathmandu, said after visiting Pashupatinath Monday, they saw protests which turned violent Tuesday. He said, “We are confined to our hotel, and now facing difficulties with food and other essentials due to curfew.” Digambar Choudhary said the group includes 27 men, 17 women and 3 children, all part of Vande Bharat Darshan Mandal. Their return was scheduled Sept 13. They appealed for evacuation.Another group of 65 from Murbad including 20 women was stranded in Cross Border hotel in Pokhara since three days. Somnath Borade told TOI though safe, they were anxious. With a curfew imposed Wednesday, they feared food shortage at the hotel and wondered how to pay hotel bills if their stay was prolonged.Pune techie Sachin Kulkarni who hails from Dombivli said his vehicle was ambushed on way from Kathmandu to Pashupatinath Tuesday. He escaped but the Nepali driver suffered minor injuries.Kulkarni had stayed back in Kathmandu while his parents and six other relatives went to Mansarovar. During the visit, his uncle suffered a heart attack and passed away. Considering the tense situation, the family performed the last rites in Kathmandu itself.Ajay Gaur from Amravati told TOI he had taken refuge in a hotel. “I have been working in Nepal for seven years. I was to leave for Varanasi today and booked a railway ticket. But I missed my train following the protests. So I decided to travel by bike. I saw burnt vehicles on the roads.”
