Kathmandu: On Tuesday, Nepal's Prime Minister KP Oli resigned as violent protests erupted for the second consecutive day across various regions of the country. His resignation was confirmed by Oli's secretariat, according to local media reports. Previously, four ministers had also stepped down from the government.
In the clashes with police, at least 19 protesters lost their lives, and hundreds more were injured in Kathmandu and nearby towns during demonstrations led by the youth against government corruption and a ban on social media imposed on Monday.
On that Monday alone, 19 protesters were reported dead, with approximately 500 others injured during confrontations near the Federal Parliament and other locations in Kathmandu, as reported by The Himalayan Times.
Following the violent clashes, the government lifted the social media ban late last night; however, just hours later, protesters reconvened in Kathmandu to continue their demonstrations, accusing the government of corruption.
On Tuesday, the violent Gen Z protesters breached the Singha Durbar premises by breaking through its western gate, as reported by The Himalayan Times. Witnesses indicated that the crowd forced their way past the main gates into the central administrative complex of the country. Singha Durbar houses various ministries and offices of the Nepalese government. This breach occurred amid escalating protests throughout the nation.
Authorities have already enforced curfews in critical areas of the capital after the deaths of 19 protesters during Monday's demonstration. Protesters in Nepal also set fire to ruling party offices, Prime Minister Oli's residence in Balkot, and buildings in Janakpur as violent protests continued in Kathmandu on Tuesday.
According to The Himalayan Times, demonstrators assembled near Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's private home in Balkot, demanding accountability for the fatalities that occurred on Monday. During the protest, they set fire to the residence.
On Tuesday afternoon, the central office of the Nepali Congress in Sanepa was vandalized, as reported by The Himalayan Times. Additionally, protesters vandalized the home of Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba in Budhanilkantha. The political party office of the CPN-UML in Chyasal, Lalitpur, was also attacked by protesters.
As part of their demonstrations against corruption following the death of 19 protesters on Monday, demonstrators broke windows, threw stones, and set fire to the building.
Reports indicate that police used tear gas to disperse the crowd. Although authorities claimed that security forces were instructed to show restraint and that live ammunition was not authorized, there were reports of gunfire and injuries from bullets, according to The Himalayan Times.
Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) has been completely shut down due to the escalating protests. The Nepali Army has been deployed to ensure security at the airport.
The protests in Nepal, spearheaded by Gen Z, escalated on Tuesday as demonstrators focused their efforts on the homes of political leaders and ministers, according to The Kathmandu Post.
According to The Kathmandu Post, the protesters ignited a fire at the residence of Minister for Communication and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung, hurled stones at the home of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel, targeted Nepal Rastra Bank Governor Biswo Paudel's residence, and assaulted the house of former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak.
