Rabindra Kumar Mehta had spent months memorising Korean vocabulary, determined to pass the language proficiency test on his second attempt and help lift his struggling family out of poverty.

Those hopes ended on Tuesday when the 21-year-old died at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu, ten days after he was shot during clashes in Kaptanganj of Dewanganj Rural Municipality, Sunsari.

Rabindra’s death triggered fresh grief and anger among his relatives, who refused to receive his body and gathered outside the hospital mortuary in Maharajgunj, demanding accountability from the government. Home Minister Sudan Gurung visited the hospital on Tuesday afternoon to hold talks with the family.

For Rabindra’s parents, however, no government assurance can fill the void left by the loss of their only son.

A third-semester Bachelor of Business Studies student at Birat Model College in Biratnagar, Rabindra was the only son of Bijay Mehta and Bimala Devi Mehta. His family lived in Kaptanganj of Dewanganj-3, where his parents relied on small-scale vegetable farming for their livelihood.

With two elder daughters married and a younger daughter, Priti, still living at home, Rabindra had become the family’s main hope for a better future.

Witnessing his parents’ financial struggles, he decided to seek employment in South Korea through the Employment Permit System. His father managed to arrange money with difficulty so Rabindra could attend Korean language classes in Biratnagar alongside his college studies.

He failed to clear the language test on his first attempt but remained determined. He had assured his parents that he would prepare harder and pass the next round, believing that leaving for South Korea could transform his family’s circumstances.

That dream was shattered on July 26 when clashes broke out between two local groups in Kaptanganj. Security personnel opened fire to bring the situation under control, and Rabindra was struck by a bullet in his left thigh, damaging a major blood vessel.

He was initially taken to Birat Nursing Home in Biratnagar, where doctors operated on the injured artery. As his condition worsened due to complications, he was airlifted to Kathmandu on Friday.

Doctors at the Maharajgunj-based Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital later advised the family that amputation was necessary to prevent the infection from spreading. His parents agreed, hoping the procedure would save his life.

But the infection continued to spread, leading to severe sepsis and failure of vital organs. Despite intensive treatment, Rabindra died on Tuesday morning.

His death has taken the toll from the July 26 Dewanganj violence to three. Earlier, Om Prakash Mehta of Dewanganj-4 and Jay Prakash Mehta of Dewanganj-3 died while receiving treatment.

The violence has also left several others injured. Rabindra’s 18-year-old friend Amit Yadav of Dewanganj-3 remains in critical condition at the National Trauma Centre in Kathmandu after being airlifted from Nobel Teaching Hospital in Biratnagar aboard a Nepal Army Sky Truck.

Six other injured locals are undergoing treatment at Neuro Hospital and Birat Teaching Hospital in Biratnagar. Doctors said their conditions are gradually improving.

The deaths have left Kaptanganj in mourning. “The family has lost its only support, and the village has lost a hardworking young man with a promising future,” said local resident Jugesh Das.

For Rabindra’s parents, who continue to wait outside the mortuary in Kathmandu, the future now appears uncertain. His Korean language books remain at his desk in Biratnagar, a reminder of a dream that will never be fulfilled.