Uttar Pradesh woman on Pashupatinath pilgrimage in Nepal dies in arson

LUCKNOW: Nepals ongoing unrest turned a Ghaziabad familys pilgrimage to the Pashupatinath temple into tragedy after rioters set fire to a luxury hotel in Kathmandu where they were staying, leaving a woman dead. Dozens of Indian tourists are stranded in the violence-hit country. Ramveer Singh Gola, 58, never knew that a spiritual sojourn with his wife Rajesh Gola would become her journey to the heavenly abode. He travelled to Kathmandu to visit the Pashupatinath temple on September 7. On September 8, violent protests broke out in the Himalayan state demanding transparency in governance and lifting of the ban on social media platforms. The deadly night of September 9 proved to be the nemesis of the Golas as their five-star hotel was set ablaze during the violent protests. Demonstrators tried to storm parliament and torched various government and private establishments as the agitation turned violent. According to relatives, Ramveer Gola and his wife were staying on the upper floor of the hotel when protesters set the lower floors on fire. In panic, Ramveer attempted to rescue his wife to safety using a curtain, but she slipped from his grasp and fell, sustaining severe injuries. She was rushed to the hospital but succumbed on the way due to excessive bleeding and injuries. On Friday morning at 10:30 am, family members brought her body to their residence in Master Colony, Ghaziabad. As per family sources, the violent mob stormed the hotel and set it on fire. As the stairways filled with smoke, Ramveer broke the windowpane, tied sheets, and jumped onto a mattress, while Rajesh Gola slipped while trying to climb down and fell heavily on her back. According to the account of Vishal, the elder son of the Golas, communication blackouts hampered their search. For two days, we didnt know about their whereabouts. Finally, my father was found in a relief camp, but my mother died in the hospital, he said while talking to media persons. The son also alleged that he received minimal support from the Indian embassy. Meanwhile, several groups of UP pilgrims remain stranded in Nepal as violent protests continue to disrupt normal life in the Himalayan nation. The India-Nepal border in Maharajganj witnessed a surge of returning tourists as many cut short their trips amid escalating unrest. A group of 10 pilgrims from Muzaffarnagar, in western UP, who had travelled to visit the Pashupatinath temple, have been confined to their hotel for the past three days. The group includes local BJP leader Sunil Kumar Tayal, who has sought assistance from state minister Kapil Dev Aggarwal. Similarly, nine pilgrims from Ayodhya, who set out on the Mansarovar pilgrimage, are stranded in Hilsa at the Nepal-China border. Most of them were preparing to return, but the arson and unrest in Nepal closed the routes. However, according to available information, all the pilgrims are safe and in contact with their families. Ayodhya DM Nikhil Tikaram Funde told media persons that he was observing the situation and was trying to ensure the safe exit of the pilgrims. Nine individuals departed from Ayodhya on September 1 to visit Kailash Mansarovar. On their return journey, they got stuck in Nepal after passing through China. Although their families claim to be in contact with them, efforts are underway to bring them back safely by coordinating with the Indian Embassy in Nepal, said the DM. Those stranded in Nepal include Sushil Rajpal, Chaman Singh, Madan Jaiswal, Vikas Gupta, Ramakant Yadav, Shailendra Agrahari, Anoop Kumar Singh, Prakash Srivastava, and Hari Shyam Tripathi.