KATHMANDU: Emotional scenes unfolded at Bir Hospital on Friday after the death of 25-year-old Ganesh Nepali, with his elder brother questioning why bystanders had failed to intervene when the incident occurred.
Nepali died while undergoing treatment after sustaining severe burn injuries following a self-immolation attempt outside the Department of Passports in Tripureshwor on Thursday.
Following his death, relatives, ride-sharing drivers, residents from Mugu, human rights activists and journalists gathered outside Bir Hospital demanding justice. Police maintained a heavy security presence as protesters chanted slogans, while access to the room where Nepali’s body was kept was restricted.
Amid the tense atmosphere, Nepali’s brother, Madan Nepali, expressed anguish, asking why those now gathered had not prevented the incident.
“When my brother was burning yesterday, where were you? Why didn’t you save him?” he said, addressing journalists and others assembled at the hospital.
Family recounts final moments
According to Chandrabahadur Shahi, a fellow resident from Nepali’s hometown, Ganesh had been living in Bhaktapur with his wife and young daughter for the past three years and earned a living through ride-sharing services using a motorcycle purchased on installments.
Shahi alleged that Nepali had been waiting for a passenger near the Department of Passports when metropolitan and traffic police wheel locked his motorcycle and issued him a Rs 10,000 fine.
Family members and acquaintances claimed the penalty placed severe financial pressure on the daily wage earner. They alleged that Nepali then poured petrol on himself using a plastic bottle and set himself on fire.
The account provided by relatives has not been independently verified, and authorities have not publicly confirmed the sequence of events.
According to family members, Nepali was later taken to Bir Hospital, where he reportedly told his brother, “Brother, I may not survive. Please take care of our parents,” before losing consciousness.
Family remembers him as responsible
Rejecting suggestions that Nepali acted impulsively, a woman identifying herself as his sister-in-law described him as a patient, responsible and practical person devoted to his wife and young daughter.
Nepali was the third of four siblings. His elderly parents remain in Mugu, where relatives said it would take several days for them to reach Kathmandu.
Human rights activists and relatives gathered at the hospital described the incident as a reflection of the hardships faced by low-income workers and called for accountability from the state.
They demanded a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, employment support for Nepali’s widow and measures to secure the future of his young daughter.
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