At least fourteen people were killed and dozens injured on Monday as violent clashes erupted between police and demonstrators in Nepal after the government’s controversial decision to ban major social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, and Snapchat.

The unrest, largely driven by the country’s younger population and widely described as the “Gen Z Protest,” emerged in Kathmandu and quickly spread to other major cities.

What began as a planned peaceful rally against corruption and online censorship escalated into chaos when protestors attempted to storm the Parliament building, breaking barricades and vandalising the main gate.

In response, security forces deployed water cannons, tear gas, and, eventually, live ammunition. Authorities confirmed that at least fourteen people lost their lives in the violence, while dozens more suffered gunshot wounds and other injuries, many of whom were rushed to hospitals across the capital.

Eyewitnesses accused police of firing indiscriminately, targeting demonstrators above the knee and, in some cases, aiming directly at the head, raising widespread condemnation over the use of lethal force.

The Kathmandu District Administration Office swiftly imposed a strict curfew in key government and residential areas to contain the spiralling unrest, including sensitive locations such as the President’s residence at Shital Niwas, the Vice-President’s residence in Lainchaur, Singha Durbar (the main government secretariat complex), and the Prime Minister’s residence in Baluwatar.

The emergency orders, issued under Section 6 of the Local Administration Act by Chief District Officer Chhabilal Rijal, restrict all movement, assembly, or demonstrations within these zones between 12:30 pm and 10 pm. Security forces have locked down Baneshwar and its surrounding neighbourhoods after protestors entered restricted precincts and made an aggressive push toward Parliament.

The expansion of curfew areas reflects the government’s anxiety over escalating tensions, with police patrols deployed to prevent further attempts to breach high-security installations.

The protests represent a broader outpouring of frustration from Nepal’s youth, who view the government’s sweeping social media ban as an assault on free speech and a desperate measure to stifle criticism of entrenched political corruption. Many demonstrators, organised under the banner of ‘Hami Nepal,’ had secured prior approval for Monday’s rally in Maitighar.

Protest leaders had circulated safety advice, protest routes, and mobilisation messages online before the ban, calling on students to attend in their school uniforms carrying books as a symbol of peaceful resistance.

However, as the gathering swelled into the thousands, tensions between the protestors and police quickly spiralled out of control.

Protest slogans and chants linked anger over corruption and youth unemployment with outrage over restrictions on digital freedoms, with hashtags like “Nepo Kid” and “Nepo Babies” trending before the block, naming and shaming political elites for nepotism and misuse of authority.

Demonstrators who spoke to ANI accused the government of attempting to create “a new slavery system,” charging that Nepal’s three main political parties—the CPN-UML, Nepali Congress, and Maoist Centre—either supported or remained silent on the clampdown.

Protestors alleged that political leaders were engaged in large-scale misappropriation of state resources while forcibly diminishing the rights of the nation’s younger generation. Protesters also pointed to earlier bans on TikTok as signs of the government’s growing desire to restrict digital spaces critical of their rule.

Some described the protests as an anti-corruption struggle broader than the social media issue, arguing that the violence by police had transformed the demonstrations into a full-blown resistance against authoritarian overreach.

The government, however, defended the ban as necessary to regulate what it called “unregistered platforms” and prevent the misuse of social media for misinformation and unrest.

With thousands of young people pouring onto the streets and the death toll climbing, the crisis underscores a dangerous new phase in Nepal’s political instability, as digitally native youth directly challenge the state’s control over expression and information.

The authorities have urged citizens to remain indoors, but with anger running high and social distrust widening, the Gen Z Protests may mark the beginning of sustained youth-led action against corruption, censorship, and political stagnation in Nepal.

The coming days are expected to be a serious test for both the government’s ability to restore order without further bloodshed and for the youth movement’s determination to press ahead despite escalating risks.

Based On ANI Report