Protests outside Pakistan embassy in Nepal over Nepali youth's death in Pahalgam terror attack (WATCH)

synopsis

Image Credit: X

A protest broke out outside the Pakistan embassy in Kathmandu this week after a young Nepali man was killed in the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.

The victim, 27-year-old Sudeep Neupane from Kalikanagar in Butwal, was visiting Kashmir with his family when terrorists opened fire on a group of tourists at Baisaran Valley on April 22. Sudeep was the only foreign national among the 26 people killed in the attack.

Eyewitnesses said the attackers asked tourists about their religion before opening fire. Sudeep, who was slightly ahead of his family, said he was Hindu. Before he could clarify he was from Nepal, he was shot dead.

Grief quickly turned to anger in Nepal, with citizens demanding justice for Sudeep and condemning the Pakistan-based terror network blamed for the attack. Protesters in Kathmandu raised slogans against Pakistan and accused its military and terror proxies of orchestrating cross-border violence.

The protest was held outside the Pakistan embassy in Nepal’s capital, with demonstrators carrying placards, shouting slogans, and calling for accountability. Security was tightened around the embassy as a precaution.

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Nepal’s Ambassador to India, Shankar Sharma, and expressed deep condolences over Sudeep’s death. 

“Conveyed condolences to Ambassador Shankar Sharma of Nepal on the death of a Nepali national during the Pahalgam terror attack,” Jaishankar wrote on social media. The two also reviewed India-Nepal bilateral relations.

Ambassador Sharma echoed the grief, saying, “Shared our deep condolences and firm solidarity with India over the Pahalgam terror attack.” 

He also confirmed that EAM Jaishankar extended condolences on Sudeep’s death and assured close coordination between the two countries.

Sudeep’s body returned to his hometown in western Nepal after a long and emotional journey across three Indian states and one international border. Draped in Nepal’s national flag, his body was received by family, officials, and hundreds of mourners at Kalikanagar in Butwal. His final rites were held at Triveni Ghat.

Officials from both sides of the border, including a district magistrate from Uttar Pradesh and senior Nepali government representatives, coordinated closely to ensure Sudeep’s remains reached his family with dignity.

Sudeep had travelled to Kashmir on April 19 with his mother, sister, and brother-in-law. The trip was meant to be a short break for his mother, who is divorced. His uncle has since urged the Indian government to offer compensation and help the grieving family.

As the region mourns his tragic death, calls grow louder in Nepal for international action against Pakistan-backed terror outfits responsible for cross-border attacks.