BHUBANESWAR: After the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) advised all Indian citizens in Nepal to avoid stepping out of their houses in wake of the violent anti-government protests, Odias residing in the Himalayan country are exercising caution.
While Indians have also been asked to avoid travelling to Nepal, an Odia businessman from Gholapur in Jajpur Bharat Bhushan Das had to rush from Delhi to Kathamandu where his family has been panic-stricken since Monday.
Das, who has been staying in Lalitpur (Kathmandu) for the last two decades, is into export and import business and was in New Delhi when the protests broke out.
“At Lalitpur where my wife and children are alone, the protestors burnt the Satdobato police station today following the killing of 22 youths. Since my family is in panic and all the flights to Kathmandu are cancelled, I had to take a bus from Delhi to Lalitpur today. Hopefully, I will reach tomorrow,” he said.
Das said there are close to 1,000-odd Odias living in Kathmandu and many of them are into plumbing.
“The police and Army have joined the local protesters. They are not doing any harm to locals but the situation is volatile,” said Amarendra Biswal, another Odia who runs a shop in Patan.