Kamal Gautam, Vice-President of the General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT), a CPN-UML-affiliated labour union, passed away on Thursday, October 30. Gautam collapsed while delivering a speech at a protest organised by the Siddhartha Chamber of Commerce and Industry, opposing the Nepal Electricity Authority’s (NEA) move to cut power to industries for failing to clear dues on electricity supplied through dedicated feeders and trunk lines.
The 62-year-old, a resident of Jyotinagar, Butwal, was immediately rushed to hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival, according to the state-owned RSS news agency.
Netra Prasad Acharya, President of the Siddhartha Chamber, told RSS that Gautam appeared visibly distressed during his address. Videos viral on social media show him emphasising that the power cuts threatened the jobs of around 25,000 workers. His speech faltered mid-sentence before he collapsed.
Gautam had long been a prominent figure in Nepal’s trade union movement.
(With inputs from RSS)
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