NN ONLINE:
The death toll from clashes between police and protesters during Nepal’s Gen G movement has risen to 14, per medical sources in Kathmandu reported by The Himalayan Times. More than 100 people, including protesters, journalists, and security personnel, are hospitalized with injuries across the capital.
Several victims are in critical condition and require intensive care, as hospitals contend with an overwhelming influx of patients. Among the dead, six were at the National Trauma Center, three at Civil Hospital, three at Everest Hospital, and one each at Kathmandu Medical College and Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. The exact number of wounded remains uncertain as new cases arrive. With emergency wards stretched beyond capacity, authorities are transferring patients to other facilities.
The unrest arose from the youth-led Gen G movement, which demands political reform, an end to corruption, and the lifting of the government’s social media ban. Demonstrations turned violent when protesters tried to breach restricted zones around government buildings, prompting a heavy security response with tear gas, water cannons, and live ammunition.
The crisis has sparked national outrage and calls for an independent inquiry into the use of lethal force. Hospitals across Kathmandu remain on high alert as events unfold. Civil Hospital’s Executive Director, Mohan Chandra Regmi, said two of the deceased arrived with severe injuries near Parliament and did not survive despite intensive care. A senior doctor at the National Trauma Centre reported four more protesters died from gunshot wounds, with about ten others in critical condition from head and chest gunfire injuries. Dozens of injured demonstrators were treated at Civil Hospital, Everest Hospital, and the Trauma Centre, straining staff.
The protests, driven by youth frustrated with corruption, unemployment, and internet censorship, began peacefully but escalated after police blocked access to the parliamentary complex. Protesters accuse the government of curbing free speech through a nationwide ban on major platforms, including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok.
In response, Kathmandu’s district authorities imposed a curfew in key areas to restore order, and security forces, including the Nepal Army, were deployed to central Kathmandu. Protests have spread to Pokhara, Biratnagar, and Bharatpur, raising concerns of a broader flare-up. The government has yet to issue a formal statement; opposition leaders and human rights groups are calling for an independent investigation.
The UN Human Rights Office in Nepal urged restraint and protection of the right to peaceful assembly. As tensions remain, Kathmandu remains in a cautious calm, with continued internet restrictions and families mourning the loss of young lives in the fight for transparency and digital freedom.
