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The expulsion of a Nepali stu­dent from an American college for allegedly possessing fire­arms and threatening to open fire at a poetry event has sparked heated exchanges, both for and against him, in the social media. Supragya Rijal, 21, who hails from the eastern city of Biratnagar, was the subject of legal and institution­al action, following an incident at Colby Sawyer College in New Hampshire. Legal charges have been pressed against Rijal.

The incident revolves around a dinner conversation between Rijal and another student at the college, identified by news reports as Hunter Fitzsimmons. Rijal claims that the conversation was about possession of a firearm by Rijal’s grandfather during his hunting days, back in Nepal. Reports have suggested that Rijal may have told Fitzsimmons, “My grandfather used to hunt, back in Nepal, and he taught me how to shoot guns. I am very good at it.”

The other student regarded that as a legitimate security threat, asserting that Rijal was “planning to shoot people at an upcoming poet­ry event”. Reports have suggested that Rijal said he “had a gun and a permit” and “no one at the school could do anything about it”. Fitzsim­mons then reported the incident to campus security, which forwarded the claims to the local law enforce­ment authority, the New London Police Department (NLPD). Rijal was arrested on October 3.

“He misinterpreted the entire con­versation and understood some­thing completely different,” Rijal told APEX. Rijal accepts that he did plan to attend the poetry event but has denied allegations of planning to incite violence. He declined to comment on other specifics.

Rijal was held in the local county jail for two days, after he, as well as his dorm room, was subjected to a thorough search by local law enforcement authorities. It is not clear if they found any incrimi­nating evidence. Rijal says he was released after that due to “personal recognizance”, asserting that he had received “character references” from other peers and faculty at the institution.

In light of the legal action against Rijal, Colby Sawyer College decided to expel him based on “security con­cerns”, and due to his previous his­tory of “drinking and assault”. Rijal has denied these allegations, stating, “The campus safety report about my prior violation at Colby-Saw­yer as assault is completely false. I have never been a part of any kind of assault”. The campus security department did not respond to our request for comment.

Rijal says his arrest was followed by an email sent to the entire stu­dent body, informing them about the dinner conversation.

When questioned about his own­ership of a firearm, Rijal said, “I have never had a gun or a gun license for a firearm in the United States.” Rijal would not be able to possess a firearm legally in the United States. He has stated that the dinner con­versation was entirely centered on his grandfather’s possession of a firearm back in Nepal.

Colby Sawyer College has also declined to comment on specifics, owing to its student privacy poli­cies. Kate Seamans, senior director of communications, responded to an email request for comment by APEX, stating: “Because of student confidentiality laws and policies, Colby-Sawyer cannot disclose any details regarding the circumstances surrounding any student’s standing with the college… It also seeks to balance the needs and the rights of the individual with the welfare of the community.”

Rijal has vociferously claimed his innocence and has repeatedly stated that charges against him will very soon be dropped. He has also said that he will appeal against the col­lege decision, hoping to be reinstat­ed to the student body.

Colby Sawyer College has provid­ed assurance that all claims will be handled in a professional manner, citing the possibility of appealing the investigation’s decision. The department of communications for Colby Sawyer College has offered this statement on Rijal’s possible appeal: “Students who are found to be responsible for violating the college’s Code of Conduct receive penalties which are based on the nature of the violation.” And, “All appeals are heard by an Appellate Board that is comprised of at least three board members who were not involved in the investigation or prior parts of the hearing process.”

Rijal can appeal only if he is acquitted of all charges, or charges against him are dropped by the pros­ecutors at the Merrimack Superior Court in Concord. Regarding the possibility of acquittal or dropping of charges, Rijal has said, “There is a high chance that they will be dropped soon”. But if Rijal is con­victed, he faces the possibility of deportation. He could be also be deported even if his expulsion isn’t revoked, as he needs to be part of an institution to continue to be eligible for his F1 student visa.

A complete detailed report of the incident is likely to emerge only after due process, both legal and institutional, is completed.

Tihar is supposed to be a festival of unity, love and bonding with family and friends. But for some this festival is not as shiny as it once used to be. They miss a special person on the most cherished day of the festival: bhai tika.With many Nepalis now choosing to work and live abroad, many brothers are left with empty foreheads, or have to make do by receiving tika from their nearest cousins. Likewise, countless sis­ters bitterly miss their brothers who have gone overseas.

“Not having my sisters on such an auspi­cious occasion is a really sad experience,” says Rajesh Mishra, 44. “I do not celebrate bhai tika when my sisters are not around.” Mishra recalls previous bhai tikas with his two sisters, both of whom are now in Aus­tralia. “Those were such joyous occasions,” he muses.

Dikshant Shakya, 18, speaks of how the Newari community marks this auspicious day. “Brothers get velvet garlands and delicacies from their sisters, who make these things themselves,” he says. His elder sister has been living in Bangalore for the past six years and they have been unable to meet during Tihar for the past three years. Shakya also states how, due to the social media, “the sense of missing out on something important is heightened”.

Arun Bhatta, 18, who is currently pursuing his undergraduate degree in Hong Kong, recognizes the festi­val as having special significance. “The festival is something that I think every Nepali brother looks forward to and it’s very disheartening to miss out”. Bhatta has thus far been unable to find a suitable sister in Hong Kong from whom to receive bhai tika.

Thankfully, technology is a two-way street. While Facebook posts of friends may heighten the sense of loss, internet calling applications like Viber and Face­book Messenger also make it much easier for brothers and sisters to connect. Says Paribesh Bidari, 22, whose sister lives in the US: “We communicate via messenger during bhai tika. It has been very helpful in this regard.”

But there really is no replacement for the presence of your brother or sister in flesh-and-blood, is there?

The concept of destination wed­dings is comparably new to Nepal. Destination weddings may be understood as marriage cer­emonies held outside the “native area” of the marrying couple. Such weddings are typically held in places with top-notch natural and cultural landscapes. Nepal fits the bill per­fectly. And one firm is at the fore­front of destination weddings in the country: Silverlining Events. Established in April 2016, Silver­lining Events does many things but it is most popular for organizing and managing destination weddings. The company usually conducts around three destination weddings every season, each with an average of 200 to 300 people. (There are also a few other companies doing destination weddings in Nepal.)

According to Nishi Khetan, the managing director, the company does destination weddings in Nepal primarily for Indian clients.

In the first phase, the plane tickets and hotel rooms have to be arranged for the entire marriage party. Then the primary duty of the wedding organizers, of planning the actual wedding, starts. Khetan says the average cost of such destination wed­dings is between five to seven million rupees—excluding hotel and travel costs. “We have done weddings for up to 10 million rupees,” she says.

Organizing destination wed­dings is not easy. As Nepal has only recently started hosting destination weddings, logistics is a huge problem. “There are currently only two hotels—Soaltee Crowne Plaza and Hotel Hyatt—that are capable of accommodating all the demands of the marrying couples,” Khetan says.

A high level of transparency is part of the job. Whenever high sums are involved, the company arranges for a meeting between the destination hotels and the customers. “The goal is to ensure full customer satisfac­tion,” according to Khetan. “Our cus­tomers are extremely choosy and no detail, big or small, can be ignored.”

While only the financially secure people are her current clients, Khetan says there are ways to reduce cost. “Weddings can be done for any budget. It all depends on customer demands and expectations,” she says. “For instance you could focus on décor and hospitality while com­promising other attributes.”

According to Khetan, the company organizes half of the destination weddings in Nepal, and no two wed­dings are exactly alike. One reason couples opt for destination weddings is to maintain a level of reputation in their friend and family circles. “This is why we are under tremendous pressure not to make the slightest mistake,” Khetan says

They huddle by the front door, with big bags on their backs and cracking jokes, as they get ready to rush on their bikes. They are preparing to deliver food loaded onto their large bags, often unaware of the barrage of difficulties that await them. This is the view at the Naxal central office of Foodmandu, an online food delivery service, at 5 pm on a recent evening.

The recent surge in online activity means that deliverymen—and right now they are all men—are more occupied than ever. But the work lives of these people, who deliver everything from cooked pizzas to raw potatoes, have gotten little attention.

The life of a deliveryman is by no means easy, especially with the unpredictable weather, terrible traffic and bad mapping of Kathmandu. And some customers can be downright nasty.

Ramesh Lama, who works at Foodmandu from 5 pm to 9 pm, constantly deals with these issues and yet he has learned to enjoy them as challenges to be overcome. “Figuring out the right location is half the battle won,” he says. “Often, the location may not be accessible on a vehicle, or it may be a confusing road, or worst, the customer may have changed the location and not updated.”

Unpredictable traffic and foul air of Kathmandu are other daily difficulties. Om Prakash Karki, who works for Daraz Nepal, an online retailer, says traffic sometimes delays deliveries. “Even though everyone is aware of these challenges, both our employers as well as our customers hold us responsible if we cannot sometimes deliver on time,” he says.

Talking about the customers, the experience of dealing with them can be immensely gratifying to very unpleasant.

Abishek Suwal, who also works for Daraz Nepal, speaks of the gratification that comes with feeling valued and respected, when a customer recognizes their effort. But, says Sagun Thapa, another deliveryman associated with Foodmandu, “At times customers treat us condescendingly. They try to demean our jobs and mock our financial status.”

“Some customers treat us as if we are their household helpers or somehow inferior to them,” he says.

There are also instances when customers have argued with Thapa for a little change. “One time, the bill was Rs 3,113, and the customer refused to pay Rs 13. It is sad that we have to squabble over the billed amount.”

These deliverymen like to have a smile on their face, even as they are aware that every new assignment is a new challenge. According to those this correspondent talked to, all they seek from their customers is a little respect for their work, for “no work is big or small”. 

They huddle by the front door, with big bags on their backs and cracking jokes, as they get ready to rush on their bikes. They are preparing to deliver food loaded onto their large bags, often unaware of the barrage of difficulties that await them. This is the view at the Naxal central office of Foodmandu, an online food delivery service, at 5 pm on a recent evening.

The recent surge in online activity means that deliverymen—and right now they are all men—are more occupied than ever. But the work lives of these people, who deliver everything from cooked pizzas to raw potatoes, have gotten little attention.

The life of a deliveryman is by no means easy, especially with the unpredictable weather, terrible traffic and bad mapping of Kathmandu. And some customers can be downright nasty.

Ramesh Lama, who works at Foodmandu from 5 pm to 9 pm, constantly deals with these issues and yet he has learned to enjoy them as challenges to be overcome. “Figuring out the right location is half the battle won,” he says. “Often, the location may not be accessible on a vehicle, or it may be a confusing road, or worst, the customer may have changed the location and not updated.”

Unpredictable traffic and foul air of Kathmandu are other daily difficulties. Om Prakash Karki, who works for Daraz Nepal, an online retailer, says traffic sometimes delays deliveries. “Even though everyone is aware of these challenges, both our employers as well as our customers hold us responsible if we cannot sometimes deliver on time,” he says.

Talking about the customers, the experience of dealing with them can be immensely gratifying to very unpleasant.

Abishek Suwal, who also works for Daraz Nepal, speaks of the gratification that comes with feeling valued and respected, when a customer recognizes their effort. But, says Sagun Thapa, another deliveryman associated with Foodmandu, “At times customers treat us condescendingly. They try to demean our jobs and mock our financial status.”

“Some customers treat us as if we are their household helpers or somehow inferior to them,” he says.

There are also instances when customers have argued with Thapa for a little change. “One time, the bill was Rs 3,113, and the customer refused to pay Rs 13. It is sad that we have to squabble over the billed amount.”

These deliverymen like to have a smile on their face, even as they are aware that every new assignment is a new challenge. According to those this correspondent talked to, all they seek from their customers is a little respect for their work, for “no work is big or small”.