KATHMANDU, Nepal. Soldiers patrolled the streets of Nepal’s capital on Wednesday after two days of deadly unrest that toppled the government, left 25 people dead, and saw protesters set government buildings on fire.
Armed troops ordered residents to stay home as they secured key areas of Kathmandu, checking vehicles and dispersing crowds. The military, which is rarely deployed in domestic unrest, stepped in late Tuesday after police failed to contain escalating violence sparked by a government ban on social media.
The protests, dubbed the “Gen Z protest,” began Monday when authorities blocked platforms including Facebook, X, and YouTube, accusing companies of failing to register under new oversight rules. Police opened fire during early demonstrations, killing 19 protesters and fueling broader anger that culminated in Tuesday’s attacks on government institutions.
The death toll rose to 25, with 633 people injured, according to the Health Ministry.
Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli resigned on Tuesday as unrest intensified. President Ram Chandra Poudel asked him to head a transitional government, but Oli fled his official residence, and his whereabouts remain unknown.
Representatives of the protest movement met with senior military officials on Wednesday to discuss an interim leadership. Some proposed Sushila Karki, Nepal’s only female former chief justice, as a transitional leader. “We have proposed to military leaders that Karki head an interim government,” said protest representative Rehan Raj Dangal. However, other demonstrators outside the army headquarters opposed the choice.
Karki, who served as chief justice from 2016 to 2017, was widely regarded as a popular and reformist figure.
Meanwhile, soldiers intervened to stop a jailbreak in central Kathmandu on Wednesday after inmates overpowered guards, set fire to buildings, and attempted to escape. Troops fired warning shots and transferred inmates to other facilities. No casualties were reported.
Protesters also attacked leading political figures. Videos shared online showed Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife, Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba, being beaten and bleeding before being escorted to safety. The Congress party, Nepal’s largest, is part of the ruling coalition.
Fires were set at the parliament building, the presidential house, the central secretariat, the prime minister’s residence, and the offices of major ministries. Kantipur, the country’s largest media outlet, was also torched, while car showrooms and vehicles were destroyed across the city. Smoke was still visible from government buildings on Wednesday.
The demonstrations have highlighted deep frustration among young Nepalis over unemployment and political privilege. While youth unemployment stood at around 20% last year, more than 2,000 young people leave the country daily to seek work abroad, according to government estimates. Many protesters voiced anger at the lavish lifestyles of politicians’ children, contrasting with the struggles of ordinary youth.
The unrest comes as Nepal’s government pushes a new social media regulation bill that critics say is aimed at censorship and silencing dissent. The proposed law would require platforms to establish local offices and comply with oversight rules. Rights groups warn the measure threatens freedom of expression.
Although the social media ban was lifted on Tuesday, protesters remained defiant, demanding systemic change and accountability from the political elite.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
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