‘We were terrified’: Tourists return from Nepal after Maharashtra CM’s intervention
A group of 118 people from Nagpur and neighbouring areas who had travelled to Nepal for a Shiv Puran recitation got stranded in the wake of flash floods in the Himalayan country.
4 min readNagpurUpdated: Aug 29, 2026 07:02 PM IST
Four tourists from Nagpur, who were stranded in Nepal, reached Delhi by a flight from Kathmandu on Friday afternoon and boarded the Kerala Express for Nagpur. They arrived in Nagpur at around 12 pm on Saturday. (Express Photo by Dhananjay Khedkar)
“We were terrified.” These were the words of 58-year-old Varsha Upadhyay as she recounted the panic and uncertainty faced by a group stranded in Nepal amid devastating floods along the Nepal-Tibet border.
Upadhyay was among a group of 118 people who had travelled to Nepal for a Shiv Puran recitation. Four members of the group – Indira Chaudhari, Varsha Upadhyay, Deepak Pandey and Sulochana Khapre – returned to Nagpur on Saturday around noon after being stranded in Kathmandu.
The group had travelled to Nepal on August 19. They first spent around four days in Pokhara before proceeding to Kathmandu. Their return journey was scheduled for August 28, but worsening conditions and restrictions on movement left them stranded.
“We were terrified. We were just 100 kilometres from the place that was flooding, and listening to all the gruesome stories was just terrifying,” Upadhyay told The Indian Express after reaching Nagpur.
The group had travelled with Shridharacharya Maharaj, also known as Panditji, for the Shiv Puran recitation. According to Upadhyay, the initial days of the trip passed peacefully, with the group travelling to several places. The situation changed suddenly as reports of floods, damaged bridges and rising rivers began emerging.
Nepali MP’s help
The tourists eventually took shelter at Maheshwari Sadan in Kathmandu. Upadhyay said they were assisted by a Nepali MP, whom she identified as Rana, who helped connect them with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
“When the chief minister spoke to us over a video call and said, ‘Tension sodun dya’ (don’t worry), we felt relieved,” Upadhyay said.
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Fadnavis subsequently facilitated the return of more than 106 passengers who were stranded in Nepal. Four members of the Nagpur group travelled from Kathmandu to Delhi by flight on Friday afternoon and then boarded the Kerala Express for Nagpur, reaching the city around noon on Saturday.
The decision to travel by air to Delhi was also prompted by the deteriorating health of Chaudhari. “The families of the four of us stayed in touch. Our children also felt it would be better to come to India by plane since Indira was unwell,” Upadhyay said.
The group said their difficulties intensified when they attempted to begin their return journey from Kathmandu. The Nepal Police stopped them from proceeding towards India as flood-related disruptions had affected roads and bridges.
Deepak Pandey, another member of the group, said the situation had been normal until the disaster struck.
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“For about eight to 10 days, things were going well. But then, disaster struck. Bridges collapsed, and the rivers surged with floodwaters. Everything came to a standstill. The police wouldn’t let us pass. We were at a complete loss as to what to do,” Pandey said.
He said the intervention from the Maharashtra chief minister provided reassurance to the stranded passengers.
“Then, we received a call from the chief minister himself, and he resolved the entire situation for us. His call reassured us, and things worked out for the best. He did a great job,” Pandey said.
The tourists’ return comes as Nepal and Tibet continue to grapple with the aftermath of catastrophic flash floods along the Nepal-Tibet border. Rescue operations were continuing on Saturday, with hundreds of deaths reported and thousands of people still missing.
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Asked how she felt after returning home, Upadhyay said, “It feels really good to be back. I am very happy to see my family again.” Upadhyay is on her way to Hinganghat – around 80 km from Nagpur. “We will stay for a day in Nagpur, and I will be on my way to Hinganghat tomorrow,” she said.
Ankita Deshkar is a Deputy Copy Editor and a dedicated fact-checker at The Indian Express. Based in Maharashtra, she specializes in bridging the gap between technical complexity and public understanding. With a deep focus on Cyber Law, Information Technology, and Public Safety, she leads "The Safe Side" series, where she deconstructs emerging digital threats and financial scams. Ankita is also a certified trainer for the Google News Initiative (GNI) India Training Network, specializing in online verification and the fight against misinformation. She is also an AI trainer with ADiRA (AI for Digital Readiness and Advancement)
Professional Background & Expertise
Role: Fact-checker & Deputy Copy Editor, The Indian Express
Experience: Started working in 2016
Ankita brings a unique multidisciplinary background to her journalism, combining engineering logic with mass communication expertise. Her work often intersects regional governance, wildlife conservation, and digital rights, making her a leading voice on issues affecting Central India, particularly the Vidarbha region.
Key focus areas include:
Fact-Checking & Verification: As a GNI-certified trainer, she conducts workshops on debunking deepfakes, verifying viral claims, and using OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) tools.
Cyber Law & IT: With postgraduate specialization in Cyber Law, she decodes the legalities of data privacy, digital fraud, and the evolving landscape of intellectual property rights.
Public Safety & Health: Through her "The Safe Side" column, she provides actionable intelligence on avoiding "juice jacking," "e-SIM scams," and digital extortion.
Regional Reporting: She provides on-ground coverage of high-stakes issues in Maharashtra, from Maoist surrenders in Gadchiroli to critical healthcare updates and wildlife-human conflict in Nagpur.
Education & Credentials
Ankita is currently pursuing her PhD in Mass Communication and Journalism, focusing on the non-verbal communication through Indian classical dance forms. Her academic foundation includes:
MA in Mass Communication (RTM Nagpur University)
Bachelors in Electrical Engineering (RTM Nagpur University)
Post Graduate Diploma (PGTD) in Cyber Law and Information Technology
Specialization in Intellectual Property Rights
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Cyber Security: "Lost money to a scam? Act within the 'golden hour' or risk losing it all" — A deep dive into the critical window for freezing fraudulent transactions.
Public Health: "From deep coma to recovery: First fully recovered Coldrif patient discharged" — Investigating the aftermath of pharmaceutical toxins and the healthcare response.
Governance & Conflict: "Gadchiroli now looks like any normal city: SP Neelotpal" — An analysis of the socio-political shift in Maoist-affected regions.
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Ankita is best known for her ability to translate "technical jargon into human stories." Whether she is explaining how AI tools like MahaCrimeOS assist the police or exposing the dire conditions of wildlife transit centres, her writing serves as a bridge between specialized knowledge and everyday safety.
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