New Delhi: Air India cancelled multiple flights on the Delhi-Kathmandu-Delhi route on Tuesday as violent protests swept across Nepal for a second consecutive day following Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s resignation.
The affected flights include AI2231/2232, AI2219/2220, AI217/218, and AI211/212, the airline confirmed in a statement. “In view of the current situation prevailing in Kathmandu, these services have been cancelled. We are closely monitoring developments. The safety of passengers and crew remains our top priority,” an Air India spokesperson said.
The cancellations come amid escalating unrest that has left at least 19 people dead and hundreds injured in clashes with security forces. Demonstrations, largely driven by youth protesters angered over corruption and a controversial social media ban, have intensified despite the government lifting the ban late Monday.
On Tuesday, crowds breached security at Singha Durbar, Nepal’s central administrative complex, and torched political offices and leaders’ residences. Prime Minister Oli’s private home in Balkot was set ablaze, while the headquarters of the Nepali Congress in Sanepa and other party offices were vandalised.
Authorities have imposed curfews across Kathmandu and deployed the army to secure key sites, including Tribhuvan International Airport, which has been shut down. Reports from The Himalayan Times and The Kathmandu Post said protesters attacked the residences of senior leaders including Sher Bahadur Deuba, Prithvi Subba Gurung, and Bishnu Paudel, accusing them of corruption and negligence.
Police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds, though eyewitnesses claimed gunfire was also heard, resulting in additional injuries. Despite heavy security deployment, the protests — spearheaded by Nepal’s Gen Z movement — continue to paralyse the capital and surrounding districts.
