NEW DELHI: India has advised its citizens to “defer travel (to Nepal) until the situation has stabilised. Airlines including Indian carriers, have suspended flights as Kathmandu Airport (KTM) was closed on Tuesday afternoon when Gen Z protestors set fire nearby. A few flights between Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru were able to operate Tuesday morning. But as the day progressed and the situation worsened, multiple Kathmandu-bound flights hovered near the city before diverting or returning to India. Subsequently airlines suspended flights.In its advisory, the Indian foreign ministry said: “In view of the developing situation in Nepal, Indian citizens are advised to defer travel there until the situation has stabilised. Indian citizens presently in Nepal are advised to shelter in their current places of residence, avoid going out onto the streets and exercise all due caution. They are also advised to follow local safety advisories from Nepal authorities as well as the embassy of India in Kathmandu…”IndiGo said on X Tuesday afternoon: “In view of the prevailing situation in Kathmandu, the airport has been closed for operations. Consequently, all flights to and from Kathmandu stand suspended as of now. If your travel is impacted, you may conveniently opt for an alternate flight or claim a refund by visiting our website. We are closely monitoring the developments and coordinating with local authorities to resume operations at the earliest.” Customers have been advised “to keep checking official channels for the latest advisories and updates.”Air India said on X Tuesday evening: “…Air India is offering passengers with confirmed bookings for travel to and from Kathmandu until Sept 11, on tickets issued up to Sept 9, a one-time waiver on rescheduling charges. The safety of our passengers and crew remains our highest priority.” SpiceJet cancelled Tuesday flights. AI Express has suspended Wednesday’s Bengaluru-KTM. By Tuesday afternoon Nepal aviation authorities issued a notice to airmen (NOTAM) about Kathmandu airport being closed. Now flights can resume only after this NOTAM is lifted.Air India has six flights to and from KTM, mostly from Delhi. On Tuesday two early morning flights managed to operate between Delhi & KTM. The third, AI 217, took off from IGI Airport 11.38 am on Tuesday. It hovered near KTM for a while before the pilots decided to return to Delhi due to “smoke at final approach of KTM” and landed at IGIA at 3.10 pm. The other three flights were cancelled.An AI spokesperson said: “In view of the current situation prevailing in Kathmandu, (four) flights AI2231/2232, AI2219/2220, AI217/218 and AI211/212 operating on the Delhi-Kathmandu-Delhi route have been cancelled Tuesday. We are closely monitoring the situation and will share further updates. At Air India, the safety of our passengers and crew remain top priority.”At least two IndiGo flights — 6E1153 (Delhi to Kathmandu) and 6E1157 (Mumbai-Kathmandu) hovered near KTM for a while on Tuesday before diverting to Lucknow. Air India Express has a daily between Bengaluru and KTM, which operated on Tuesday morning. Five Delhi-KTM flights on which 801 passengers were booked to travel were cancelled Tuesday, including three of Air India and one each of IndiGo and Nepal Airlines.

The Iranian embassy in India has urged its citizens to avoid traveling to Nepal as the Himalayan country faces one of its deadliest waves of unrest, which forced the prime minister and several ministers to resign on Tuesday.

The embassy issued a travel advisory, saying, “Given the current situation and the outbreak of instability in Nepal, all Iranian citizens are strongly advised against any travel to the country.”

It said that Iranian nationals currently in Nepal should maintain close contact with the consular section in New Delhi and the Iranian consular representative in Kathmandu for assistance.

Nepal’s Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli and several other ministers and lawmakers resigned on Tuesday as anti-government protests grew increasingly violent, with police opening fire on protesters and killing at least 20 people.

Oil said he “resigned from the post of prime minister with effect from today… in order to take further steps towards a political solution and resolution of the problems.”

President Ramchandra Paudel accepted the resignation and appointed Oli to lead a caretaker government until a new one is in place, though Oli’s whereabouts remain unknown.

The prime minister’s resignation followed that of three other ministers.

Despite the resignations, the protests continued and fueled by anger over the deaths. Demonstrators defied a curfew on Tuesday and remained on the streets, blocking roads, storming government buildings and setting them on fire.

Hundreds have breached the parliament and set the main building on fire, according to Ekram Giri, spokesman for the Parliament Secretariat.

In the meantime, army helicopters ferried some ministers to safe places, as in some cases, protesters attacked political leaders.

In a statement, President Paudel called for national unity, urging “everyone, including the protesting citizens, to cooperate for a peaceful resolution of the country’s difficult situation.”

“I appeal to all parties to exercise restraint, to not allow further damage to the country, and to come to talks,” he said.

The army also issued a statement calling for calm and urging political dialogue.

Despite the unrest, Kathmandu’s airport remains open, but some flights were cancelled after smoke from fires affected visibility, according to airport spokesman Rinji Sherpa. 

The demonstrations — called the protest of Gen Z — broke out after the government blocked popular platforms, including X, Facebook, and YouTube, saying the companies had failed to register and submit to government oversight.

The Kathmandu Post newspaper, however, said this isn’t just about social media. “It’s about trust, corruption, and a generation that refuses to stay silent.”

It said, “Gen Z” grew up with smartphones, global trends, and promises of a federal, prosperous Nepal.”

Actor-YouTuber Prajakta Koli extended her support to families affected by a recent tragedy in Nepal. She also announced the cancellation of her travel plans to the country.

Prajakta shared an emotional note on her Instagram story, which read, “What happened in Nepal yesterday is truly heartbreaking. Any form of celebration at such a time feels inappropriate. My heart goes out to the families of those who have suffered. I was really looking forward to being there and meeting everyone, but now isn’t the right time. Hopefully, I’ll get to see you all very soon.”

Actor Manisha Koirala also strongly opposed the violence against the Gen-Z protests in Nepal. She shared the picture of a shoe, probably from the scene where the protests took place. The actor captioned, “Today is a black day for Nepal — when bullets respond to the voice of the people, outrage against corruption and demand for justice.”

Manisha, known for her iconic roles in films like ‘Dil Se’, ‘Bombay’, and ‘1942: A Love Story’, recently featured in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Netflix series ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’.

Recently, Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli stepped down amid massive protests in the Himalyan nation. The political crisis has prompted the Nepali Army to step in to maintain order within the country.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, Agriculture Minister Ramnath Adhikari, Youth and Sports Minister Teju Lal Chaudhary, and Water Minister Pradeep Yadav are among the leaders who have resigned so far. The resignation came as demonstrators, largely driven by Gen Zers’ anger over social media ban defied the curfew and clashed with security forces.

The unrest in Nepal has claimed at least 22 lives so far, while hundreds have been injured in the violence that began on Monday and continued unabated on Tuesday, according to reports.

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