Geeta Sah, 48, was writhing in pain in the plastic surgery ward of Kathmandu Medical College in Sinamangal. A month and a half has passed since she was brought to the hospital, and even though the wound is healing, the trauma of the incident has not stopped affecting her.

During the Gen-G protest on 24 Bhadra, she went out to the square with the shutters on her watch and spectacle shop in Koteshwor. At first, it was normal. But the gradually escalating situation led to a terrible accident. The protesters were beating the police to death. She went forward to save the police and requested the protesters. But the acid thrown by the protesters hit her body. Geeta's right hand, leg and stomach were burned. Geeta still feels shocked when she remembers that moment.

'I was going out to the police station to watch the demonstration. Three or four policemen were on top of the police station. The others had already fled,' she recalls. 'After the police fired two rounds to avoid the protesters, the protesters set the police station on fire from outside.' The fire started by the protesters started spreading upwards. The police were fleeing from the barrack. The protesters reached the roof and beat them and dragged them to the street.

She became desperate to see the policeman who was beaten to death. She requested the protesters, ‘Fathers, please don’t beat me anymore. Leave me alone.’

‘The policeman, probably thinking that I would survive this, grabbed my legs and said, “Mother, please save me,” she describes the incident. ‘A protester shouted at me, ‘Auntie, please get out of here.’ Geeta pleaded again, ‘Please leave me alone, Father, now it’s over.’ The protestor said, ‘I didn’t feel love when I killed someone else’s son. I felt love when I killed him.’ Geeta added, ‘Everyone’s life is the same!’ In the meantime, suddenly, acid thrown by a protester hit Geeta’s body. Her right hand started burning. She took off her clothes in a panic.

Even then, the police were holding Geeta's legs and urging her to save her. But by then, Geeta's life was in danger. Geeta's burning sensation was increasing in her legs and stomach. At that moment, her son's friend arrived on a scooter. He took Geeta to Kantipur Hospital. After seeing the risk of fire there too, he took her to KMC Hospital. Geeta was initially kept in the ICU for two weeks.

Geeta's 26-year-old son Rahul recalls that day, saying, "I was also in the protest in Baneshwor that day. My mother had told me not to go to the protest. What did you keep saying when you called me later, 'Come quickly.' After some time, my dad called me and said that my leg was on fire." Later, when I saw my mother's condition in the hospital, I couldn't handle it.''

Geeta was already traumatized by the fire. She would even ask her son to turn the gas regulator on and off while cooking. 'It's very difficult now when there's a fire. At first, he was the one who was fighting alone. Gradually, it got less,' says Rahul.

Rahul feels worried from time to time while staying in the hospital. 'This is happening to my mother, who always takes care of us. It must be difficult,' says Rahul. Rahul is very angry with the person who put his mother in this situation. 'I'm also telling the police. The person who threw acid should be arrested at any cost,' says Rahul in a tone of pain.

27-year-old Kamal Ghimire of Kavre Bethanchowk, who is being treated at the KMC HCU ward, has not been able to recover even after all these days. After all these days, it was only on Sunday that he revealed something to his uncle Prannath Ghimire about the moment when the incident occurred during the protest, ‘I was filming a video. That scene must be in the video. Suddenly I was shot.’

Kamal had a cow farm in Radheradhe. On the morning of Bhadra 23, he went to the dairy and did not return to the farm. He went straight to the protest. During the protest, a bullet pierced his left thigh. The bullet also damaged his lungs. ‘After all these days, he spoke something yesterday, and today he is not able to speak again,’ sounds worried to Kaka Prannath.

Kamal was the pillar of the house. He himself is hugging his mother after being injured and collapsing. ‘My brother and sister-in-law fainted when they came to the hospital. That is why I have been staying in Kuruwa since the first day,’ said Prannath. He complains that no one has come from the government for so many days. ‘Sushila Karki, who became the Prime Minister on the blood of our sons, has gone to other places. But she has not come here to console us,’ he complained, ‘and the government has not arrested the person who opened fire during the protest. What is holding us back?’

29-year-old Ravi Bhandari, who is undergoing treatment at B&B Hospital in Satdobato, was referred here from KMAC Hospital 20 days ago. He is now worried about the deteriorating situation at home. Ravi’s home is in Sindhuli. He used to live temporarily in Tikathali. Five years ago, after returning from a foreign employment in Qatar, he had been running a pathao. He used that money to pay off his house loan and educate his brother. But after being shot during the Genji movement, he is becoming distraught. The previous day, he did not join the movement. Instead, his brother had gone. The brother, who had gone to the movement with his friends, returned home, losing his friend. With that anger, he joined the movement the next day. ‘We were in Maharajgunj. Another group was burning a police post in the direction of Gongbu. I was also moving forward with the others. I was shot in the ankle in front of Bhatbhateni,’ he recalls.

Ravi says that the government formed during the Genji movement should now not only provide treatment to the injured, but also guarantee their employment.

Sarita Rana, the sister of Vikram Lamkaha, who is undergoing treatment at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj, prays every day for his recovery. On the evening of Bhadra 24, during a protest, her brother was shot in Jawalakhel at 7 pm. ‘He was shot in the right leg.’ He is currently undergoing plastic surgery for the seventh time. At home, his mother is very worried about his brother’s condition,’ says Sarita.

Vikram was a cook at the hotel. ‘What if my brother, who was taking care of all the household chores, can no longer work?’ Sarita becomes sad remembering.

Sanjay Ghising, 23, who is undergoing treatment at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, has been shot in the right hand. He was also shot in Jawalakhel. Sanjay had previously participated in the royalist protest. ‘He had also gone to the royalist movement.’ At that time, he returned after being beaten by the police. He said, "Don't go to the protest on Bhadra 24." He went. At first, my friend was shot, he was running away with it! Later, he got shot," says Sanjay's mother, "He said that he still has to undergo surgery. I don't know how many days it will take."

18-year-old Bhak Bahadur Nepali is undergoing treatment in the ICU at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. He was referred from Pokhara a few days ago with a bullet in his head.

Prakash Baral and Liza Adhikari are undergoing treatment in the HCU ward of the Trauma Hospital. The iconic shoe that became a symbol of the protest was lost during the protest. That shoe belonged to Prakash. Prakash is now happy that a well-wisher bought him another pair of shoes. "That shoe was lost during the protest." A well-wisher bought such shoes out of love,' says Prakash.

The injured in the protest are being discharged day by day. Prakash doesn't know how many more days he will have to stay. 'They say there is still one more operation left.' It hurts every now and then,' he said.

While in the hospital, he is saddened to hear that fake documents are being made in Prakash's name. 'We are suffering here every day. Outside, they are selling my name,' he laments.

Liza, who was shifted to the same ward, was sleeping when we reached her. 'She too couldn't sleep last night due to pain. She just fell asleep,' Prakash was saying.

Liza was a fourth-year BBA passout. She took to the streets on Bhadra 23, taking the voice of the students. Her mother called her home at 2 pm. She was about to return home. ‘At that time, I was talking to my sister who was wearing a helmet in front, and while talking, I was shot,’ she recalled the horrific scene she experienced in a conversation a few weeks ago. The bullet had pierced her groin.

Another injured person in the Gen-G movement, 22-year-old Mukesh Awasthi from Dadeldhura, is still undergoing treatment in trauma. He lost his leg after being shot below the knee during the movement.

Mukesh was recently working as a sub-engineer at the Parliament House. He was also preparing to go to Australia. ‘Now this is the situation, there is no way to go,’ Mukesh had said a few weeks ago while looking at his own leg that was amputated during treatment.

Abhishek Shrestha, 22, from Sindhupalchowk, is also still undergoing treatment at the trauma hospital. Abhishek has been carrying his injured leg in various talks recently. He was shot below the knee of his right leg. ‘The flesh of his thigh has been removed and placed below the bullet site,’ Abhishek says, showing the wound. Despite doctors’ requests not to go, he went to the discussions of the Genji activists and talks with the Prime Minister and President. ‘Because our voices should be heard there. The voices of the martyrs’ families should be heard too. My participation may have meaning there,’ he says. His leg has developed an infection.

Abhishek went out on the streets despite his parents’ requests not to go. He did not know the word "Genji" even three days before the protest. 'I understood the meaning of the word only two days ago. I went out saying that our movement must go. I was shot,' he says.