Nepal's Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resigned on Tuesday as massive, youth-led anti-corruption protests that began over a government social media ban escalated into deadly clashes with police, leaving 21 people reported dead and scores injured, the BBC reported.
Oli's office said he had stepped down "to pave the way for a constitutional solution" to the unrest, which was triggered by the government's decision last week to block 26 social media platforms. The ban, which included Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, was repealed on Monday night after critics said it was intended to curtail an online anti-corruption campaign.
The demonstrations — notable for heavy participation from young people identifying as "Gen Z" — grew rapidly in Kathmandu and other cities. Protesters breached perimeter walls around the parliament and other official buildings, prompting police to impose curfews and tighten security. BBC reporting said police used tear gas, water cannon and live ammunition during confrontations; local doctors told BBC Nepali they had treated gunshot wounds and injuries from rubber bullets.
Hospital sources and local authorities said almost 200 people had been injured in the clashes. Police also reported that several officers were wounded. On Tuesday, videos and reports circulated on social media showing fires and vandalism at the headquarters of the Nepali Congress party and at the homes of several senior politicians, including former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Prime Minister Oli's residence in Balakot, Bhaktapur.
Organizers said the movement has no single leader but has been mobilized through social media and a network of youth collectives and student groups. Many protesters carried placards and chanted calls for an end to corruption and for the restoration of free speech. Demonstrators told the BBC the ban disrupted education and stifled civic discussion; videos circulating online showed students and even schoolchildren joining marches in cities including Kathmandu, Pokhara and Itahari.
A defining element of the protests has been the viral use of the hashtags #NepoBaby and #NepoKids, after videos surfaced highlighting the affluent lifestyles of politicians' families. Protesters have used the trend to underscore grievances about inequality, alleging that the political elite enjoy unearned privilege while ordinary Nepalis face unemployment and depend on migration for work.
Oli, who returned to power in July 2024 for a fourth term with backing from the Nepali Congress, quit after mounting pressure from the street and the resignations of other high-ranking politicians, BBC reporting said. Authorities have warned that if the government does not engage meaningfully with demonstrators' demands the unrest could deepen, particularly as students and civil society groups become more involved.
Security forces have attempted to contain protests with curfews around key government sites, but demonstrators largely defied restrictions and continued to gather. Police statements and hospital reports indicated casualty figures could rise as more injured people reach medical facilities and as investigations into fatalities continue.
Analysts and civil society leaders cautioned that the protests reflected long-standing frustrations with governance, accountability and socio-economic inequality in Nepal, and that reversing a single policy — the social media ban — would not address the broader grievances driving the movement. The immediate political outlook remains uncertain as parties and institutions consider next steps to restore order and respond to demands for reform.
The BBC's reporting served as the principal source for casualty figures, descriptions of the violence and details of the social media ban and its repeal.