Gen Z riots; Malayalis stranded in Nepal without food and water, tourist group including children on streets

KATHMANDU: Malayalis have also been caught up in the Gen Z riots that erupted after the Nepal government banned social media. Around forty tourists from Malappuram and Kozhikode districts are stranded in Nepal. They are stuck in Gaushala near Kathmandu. They are stranded without food, water or accommodation.

The group flew to Nepal last Sunday through a travel agency in Kozhikode. They had gone for a vacation in connection with the Onam holiday. The Gen Z violence intensified on their way to Kathmandu. Children, including those from Mukkam, Koduvally, Kodiyathur in Kozhikode district and Areekode in Malappuram district, are living on the streets without food or accommodation.

Vehicular traffic is in chaos due to tire-burning protests on the main roads. The entire road is filled with rioters. The protesters have destroyed police stations and other places, so even the police cannot be called for help. Kathmandu airport has also been closed in view of the protests.

The group can only return home if there is intervention from the central and state governments. Although the ban on social media has been lifted, the protests have not subsided yet. Following the protests, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resigned and left Kathmandu. The government of Nepal banned major social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and X because they failed to register with the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, as required by new regulations aimed at combating misinformation and hate speech.