Thousands of protesters in Nepal set fire to government buildings, including the presidential complex, and attacked senior politicians on Tuesday as demonstrations over a government social media ban and broader grievances descended into violence. The unrest prompted Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to step down a day after security forces opened fire on crowds, leaving at least 19 people dead.
Video circulated on social media showed Finance Minister and deputy prime minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel being chased and struck by a mob in Kathmandu as the capital burned. Dozens of people pursued Paudel as he ran down a street; a protester leapt from the other side and kicked him into a wall before he rose and fled again.
Protesters set fire to the Singha Durbar complex, which houses parliament and government offices, and attacked private residences and the homes of leading politicians, including an office and a private school associated with Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba. Media offices were also targeted; Kantipur Publications, the country's largest media group, was reported to have been set alight. Smoke billowed over the city as scorched vehicles and burned buildings appeared in clips shared online.
The rallies began in opposition to a government order that blocked Facebook, YouTube, X and other platforms for failing to register under a new oversight requirement. Authorities restored access to some services early Tuesday, but protests persisted and swelled into a broader expression of discontent over corruption and governance. Demonstrators chanted against the ban and alleged state violence, with many identifying themselves as part of Gen Z.
Tensions escalated on Monday when tens of thousands surrounded the Parliament building; police fired on demonstrators, resulting in the reported deaths. Seven of the dead and dozens of wounded were taken to the National Trauma Centre, where clinicians described severe gunshot injuries. "Many of them are in serious condition and appear to have been shot in the head and chest," Dr. Badri Risa said. Families queued to donate blood as hospitals treated the wounded.
Authorities imposed curfews in Kathmandu and several other cities and closed schools as police struggled to control the unrest. Kathmandu police spokesman Shekhar Khanel said many people ignored the curfew and reported "cases of fire and attacks." Videos showed protesters breaching gates of private residences, looting, and at times carrying weapons. Footage also showed people climbing onto the roof of the Parliament complex and a man entering a government building with a firearm reportedly taken from police.
The violence prompted resignations within the government. Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak stepped down at an emergency Cabinet meeting late Monday, and other ministers also resigned before Prime Minister Oli announced his departure. President Ram Chandra Poudel said he had begun the constitutional process to select a new prime minister.
Oli, who returned to power last year under a coalition deal, said he had formed a committee to investigate the killings and that the government would provide compensation for lives lost and free treatment for the wounded. His government had defended the proposed social media regulations as necessary to make platforms "properly managed, responsible and accountable," but critics and rights groups say the rules are a tool for censorship that would punish dissent.
The registration requirement applied to roughly two dozen social networks widely used in Nepal. TikTok, Viber and a few other platforms registered and continued to operate, while major companies such as Google and Meta did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Nepal previously banned TikTok in 2023 on grounds it disrupted "social harmony," but the platform resumed service last year after pledges to comply with local laws.
Protesters said their anger ran deeper than any single policy. "I am here to protest about the massive corruption in our country," said Bishnu Thapa Chetri, a student who joined demonstrations. "The country has gotten so bad that for us youths there is no grounds for us to stay back in the country." Others demanded justice for those killed in the crackdown and called for the ouster of the current regime.
As of Tuesday, irregular fires continued to burn in parts of Kathmandu and other cities, and authorities reported widespread damage to public and private property. The attacks included residences of senior figures across the political spectrum, including the president and leaders of multiple parties, underscoring the scale of public anger.
The cabinet's proposed bill to regulate social media would require companies to appoint local points of contact and submit to oversight, measures that the government argues would curb misinformation and illegal content. Rights advocates counter that the law risks silencing critics and shrinking space for dissent on platforms that have become central to political organization and public debate in Nepal.
The political fallout from the unrest is unresolved. With the prime minister's resignation and multiple ministers stepping down, the president's selection of a successor will shape the immediate governance response and the fate of the contested social media measures. In the short term, the security situation remained volatile as authorities worked to reassert control and hospitals cared for the wounded while families sought information about missing relatives.