New Delhi [India], February 2 (HBTV): A widower has approached the Delhi High Court seeking accountability for the death of his wife, an Indian citizen who died during violent civil unrest in Nepal while trapped inside a five-star hotel in Kathmandu during protests in September 2025.
A writ petition has been filed seeking INR 100 crore as constitutional compensation from the Government of India, concerned constitutional authorities and the management of a luxury international hotel in Kathmandu for what the petition describes as the ‘avoidable and wholly preventable’ death of Late Smt. Rajesh Gola during the protests on September 9, 2025.
The petition has been moved by her husband, Rambir Singh Gola, through advocate and Supreme Court PIL activist Abhishek Choudhary.
According to the petition, the couple had travelled to Nepal on September 7, 2025, on a religious pilgrimage to the Pashupatinath Temple and were staying at a reputed five-star hotel in Kathmandu. As the situation in the city deteriorated amid arson and mass protests, the hotel management allegedly assured guests that the situation was under control and discouraged them from checking out.
The petitioner has claimed that he was persuaded to shift to a higher floor on assurances of enhanced security, which, according to the plea, later proved to be false. On the night of September 9, a violent mob allegedly entered the hotel premises and set parts of the building on fire.
The petition alleges that during the incident there was a complete failure of emergency response, with no fire alarms activated, no evacuation procedures followed and no assistance provided to guests. It further claims that hotel staff abandoned the premises, leaving guests trapped inside the burning building.
The petitioner has stated that distress calls were made to the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu and the Ministry of External Affairs, but no consular intervention, rescue coordination or emergency support was provided to Indian nationals despite repeated requests.
According to the plea, with escape routes blocked, the petitioner and his wife attempted to flee using makeshift ropes. During the attempt, Rajesh Gola allegedly fell from the fourth floor of the hotel and sustained critical injuries.
The petition further claims that she was denied timely and adequate medical treatment, was wrongly declared dead at a local hospital and was abandoned in a mortuary without proper medical care. The Government of Nepal has officially recorded the incident as a case of homicide.
The plea notes that Rajesh Gola was the only Indian national to lose her life during the unrest, and raises concerns regarding the safety obligations of luxury hospitality providers and the constitutional duty of the Indian State to protect its citizens abroad.
Despite a legal notice issued on September 22, 2025, the petitioner has alleged that no inquiry, compensation or accountability process has been initiated so far.
The writ petition raises constitutional questions, including whether the fundamental right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution of India extends to Indian citizens outside the country and whether failure of consular protection constitutes a violation of that right.
The petitioner has sought a court-monitored judicial inquiry, fixation of responsibility on concerned officials and institutions, disciplinary action against those found culpable, and an award of INR 100 crore as constitutional compensation jointly from the Government of India and the hotel management. The plea also seeks systemic reforms to ensure protection of Indian citizens during overseas emergencies. (ANI)