Kathmandu, September 10: At least 19 people were killed and more than 300 injured in Nepal on Monday after protests led by the country’s Gen Z youth erupted against Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli’s decision to block major social media platforms, prompting the government to lift the ban late at night.
Demonstrators poured into the streets of Kathmandu, Pokhara, Butwal, Dharan and other cities after the government on Sept. 4 ordered a shutdown of platforms including X, Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, citing their failure to comply with Nepal’s registration rules.
Police fired rubber bullets, water cannons and live rounds as protesters broke through barricades and marched toward the Federal Parliament building in Kathmandu, chanting slogans demanding Oli’s resignation. Hospitals reported dozens of critical injuries, while rights groups said security forces had fired tear gas near medical facilities.
Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned during a cabinet meeting on Monday evening as criticism mounted over the use of force. The government later imposed a curfew in the capital and deployed army vehicles to enforce order.
Prime Minister Oli defended the social media ban, saying it was not intended to be permanent, and blamed “infiltrators” for the violence. “The families of the deceased will be provided compensation, and the injured will receive free treatment,” he said in a statement.
The National Human Rights Council said its monitoring confirmed excessive use of force against largely young protesters. “It was a protest by youngsters and schoolchildren, which did not have any political agenda, but the ruling class reacted violently,” public intellectual Yadav Devkota said.
Analysts said the protests reflected long-simmering anger among Nepal’s youth over corruption, nepotism and misgovernance. Many Nepalis migrate abroad for work or education, but for those who stay, social media has become both a livelihood and a platform for dissent.
“This was not only about the ban,” said writer Dambar Khatiwada, who joined the rally. “Gen Z wanted to show the government how angry they are.”
The unrest drew comparisons to Nepal’s 2006 protests against King Gyanendra, which toppled the monarchy, and to the recent fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government in Bangladesh. Calls for Oli’s resignation grew louder late on Monday as the death toll climbed, with protesters accusing his government of “state brutality” and demanding accountability.
