KEY POINTS
- Parliament, Supreme Court, president’s and PM’s residences set ablaze by protesters
- At least 19 killed, hundreds injured as police use live fire to disperse crowds
- Kathmandu airport shut; nationwide curfews imposed, social media ban lifted
- PM Oli resigned earlier, but crisis deepens amid ministerial exodus and mass unrest
KATHMANDU, Nepal: Nepal plunged deeper into chaos Tuesday as angry protesters stormed and set fire to Parliament, the Supreme Court, and the private residences of top leaders, including the president and prime minister, according to reports from AP and Reuters.
The violent escalation came after days of youth-led “Gen Z Protests” that rocked the Himalayan nation, leaving at least 19 people dead and hundreds injured in clashes with security forces.
Authorities shut down Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport and imposed strict curfews across Kathmandu, Pokhara, and other provinces, but unrest continued to spread nationwide.
Witnesses reported water cannons, tear gas, rubber bullets, and live rounds being fired at crowds that defied the emergency order.
The latest wave of destruction followed Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli’s resignation, confirmed by his aide earlier in the day.
Oli stepped down after three ministers quit in protest against his government’s handling of the crisis. His departure, however, failed to stem the tide of anger.
The protests began last week after Oli’s government announced a ban on 26 social media platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, X, and WhatsApp, citing misinformation and fake accounts.
The restrictions ignited mass demonstrations by young Nepalis, who denounced the move as authoritarian and linked it to deeper grievances over corruption and lack of accountability.
Though the government lifted the ban Monday night, the gesture only emboldened protesters, who have since expanded their demands to include sweeping reforms and systemic change.
President Ram Chandra Poudel has appealed for calm. However, with state institutions under attack, ministers in flight, and Oli reduced to a caretaker role, Nepal faces one of its gravest crises since its 2008 transition from monarchy to republic.
