September 9, 2025 | 01:08 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Nepal’s Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned late Monday, taking full responsibility for the deadly police crackdown on nationwide protests, local media Himalayan Times reported.
Hospitals in Kathmandu confirmed at least 17 deaths in the capital, while two more protesters shot in Itahari succumbed to their injuries in Sunsari. This brings the total death toll from the unrest to 19.
Lekhak submitted his resignation during a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli at Baluwatar.
According to Kathmandu Post, at least 347 people were injured, dozens critically, with hospitals overwhelmed by the influx of casualties. Authorities have yet to release an official death toll.
Military Deployed, Curfew Imposed
Following the violence, security forces deployed military personnel and imposed a curfew in Kathmandu. Officials said the move was triggered after protesters stormed restricted areas and breached the gates of the Federal Parliament complex.
Demonstrators, dubbed the “Gen Z protesters,” broke through police barricades in Kathmandu, demanding an end to corruption and the lifting of the government’s controversial social media ban. Security forces responded with tear gas, water cannons, and, according to eyewitnesses, live ammunition.
“I have never seen such a disturbing situation at the hospital,” said Ranjana Nepal, an information officer at Civil Hospital, which treated many of the injured. “Tear gas entered the hospital area as well, making it difficult for doctors to work.”
Local media reported that police fired live rounds at crowds, though the claim has not been independently verified. One protester told ANI news agency: “Police fired indiscriminately. A bullet missed me but hit my friend standing behind me, injuring his arm.”
Anger Over Corruption and Social Media Ban
The protests, which spread from Kathmandu to cities including Pokhara, Butwal, and Biratnagar, were fueled by frustration over entrenched corruption and the government’s decision to block major social media platforms.
Last week, Nepal’s Ministry of Communication and Information Technology ordered Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, and LinkedIn to be blocked after operators failed to register their platforms within a seven-day deadline.
The government has said the ban will be lifted once the platforms comply with registration requirements. The policy drew strong criticism from Nepal’s main opposition parties.
By Monday night, several platforms, including Facebook, WhatsApp, and X, had begun operating again. Communication and Information Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung said authorities had initiated steps to restore access.
Organizers described the movement as a “Gen Z protest,” highlighting the frustration of Nepal’s younger generation, who make up the majority of the country’s internet users. Roughly 90 percent of Nepal’s 30 million population is online.
“This is a protest by a new generation of Nepalese,” one demonstrator told ANI.
Student protester Yujan Rajbhandari, 24, said: “We were triggered by the social media ban but that is not the only reason we are gathered here,“ said student Yujan Rajbhandari, 24.
"We are protesting against corruption that has been institutionalised in Nepal.“
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