At least 19 killed in Nepal Gen Z protests sparked by social media ban

During a Cabinet meeting, Nepal’s Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak submitted his resignation to PM Sharma Oli

At least 19 people were killed and over 300 injured in Nepal on Monday (September 8, 2025) after protests erupted in cities across the country, triggered by a sweeping social media ban imposed by the K.P. Sharma Oli government. In Kathmandu, the police fired rubber bullets and live rounds at a demonstration. The government revoked the ban late at night.

Led by Nepal’s tech-savvy “Gen Z” generation, thousands poured into the streets of Kathmandu and other major cities to protest “corruption, nepotism, and misgovernance” of the Oli government, following the ban on social media platforms imposed on Thursday (September 4, 2025).

Also read: Nepal Protests Live updates

The Ministry of Health and Population confirmed the casualty figures based on data collected from hospitals across the country.

Protesters rallied in Kathmandu, Pokhara, Butwal, Dharan, Ghorahi, Itahari, and elsewhere after the government cited failure to comply with Nepal’s mandatory registration requirements to ban over two dozen platforms, including X, Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. Free speech advocates had alleged the ban was an attempt to silence dissent.

A Cabinet meeting held in the evening decided to form an inquiry committee to investigate the day’s events.

A statement released by Mr. Oli defended the social media ban and blamed “infiltrators” for the violence. He also expressed sorrow over the deaths during the protests.

Free speech advocates were quick to warn that the ban was less about regulation than about silencing dissent. Still, the government went ahead, a move that clearly struck a raw nerve among Nepal’s digital generation.

A protester in his 20s said he would rather get hit by the Oli government’s bullet than back down. “I am here despite warnings against participating in this demonstration,” he said. “This corruption and misgovernance must end.”

Earlier, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned over the developments.

At Maitighar, in the heart of Kathmandu, demonstrators started gathering from Monday (September 8, 2025) morning, and as time passed, the protest grew bigger. They marched towards the Federal Parliament building in New Baneshwor, and broke through the police cordon to enter the premises while chanting slogans against the leaders, including Prime Minister Oli, and demanding he “leave the country”.

Kathmandu’s Chief District Officer issued a notice stating that the police would fire shots if government property was targeted, which was immediately met with fierce opposition. Nevertheless, the police used water cannons and fired live bullets, leading to the deaths.

In his statement, the Prime Minister said the government did not intend to block or ban any social media sites permanently. “The families of the deceased will be provided compensation, and the injured will receive free treatment,” Mr. Oli said.

A curfew was imposed in key areas of the capital till 10 p.m. Late at night, a Cabinet meeting made the decision to lift the social media ban, said Minister for Communications and Information Technology and government spokesperson Prithvi Subba Gurung.

‘State brutality’

Many observers criticised state brutality, which they said was on a scale far greater than that seen during King Gyanendra’s regime 19 years ago. Yadav Devkota, a public intellectual, said, “It was a protest by youngsters and schoolchildren, which did not have any political agenda, but the ruling class reacted violently, and it is highly condemnable.” Mr. Devkota, however, was quick to warn against blaming the protest on the social media ban alone. “It just prompted them to take action,” he added.

“Corruption, crony capitalism, and extractive politics have frustrated a big chunk of Nepalis. Members of Gen Z have been disenchanted for quite a while, feeling that misgovernance is robbing them of their future,” said Mr. Devkota, who writes on contemporary political and social issues. “Gen Z would have come to the streets anyway, and they did today, triggered by the Oli government’s decision to ban social media platforms.”

Eyewitnesses said police even fired tear gas shells into hospital areas, adding to the woes of doctors and nurses struggling to deal with the swelling number of injured.

The National Human Rights Council, in a statement, confirmed that its monitoring of the protest found security forces used excessive force on protesters. Eyewitnesses said police even fired tear gas shells into hospital areas, adding to the woes of doctors and nurses struggling to deal with the swelling number of injured.

In 2006, massive protests against former king Gyanendra’s regime lasted 18 days, ultimately leading to the fall of the centuries-old monarchy and establishing Nepal as a democratic federal republic.

Nepal’s digital sphere had for some time been abuzz with a “nepo baby’” or “nepo kids” campaign — mirroring the scene in Indonesia during the 2024 Vice-Presidential election, when criticism mounted over former President Joko Widodo’s family.

Misgovernance has become the order of the day in Nepal. Since Mr. Oli — a leader of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) — came to power 14 months ago, backed by the Nepali Congress, cases of corruption and irregularities have been on the rise.

The Oli government, however, instead of addressing calls to fix governance and improve service delivery, increasingly became intolerant of criticism and dissent.

A large section of Nepal’s youth, especially those from underprivileged backgrounds, migrate to the Gulf or Malaysia for low-paying jobs. Thousands of others leave for Europe, Australia, or the United States in search of higher education and better opportunities. Estimates suggest that around 2,000 Nepalis leave the country every day.

For many of those who stayed—especially younger people—social media had become a source of livelihood and a safe space for expression.

Dambar Khatiwada, a writer, said the government’s abrupt ban on these platforms triggered not just anger but deep anxiety, as economic and creative freedoms came under threat.

“The move to ban social media platforms is clearly rooted more in silencing criticism than regulation. But Gen Z had had enough—as they saw it not only as an attempt to silence them, but to rob them of their space,” said Mr. Khatiwada. “That it was pent-up anger was reflected in the way they refused to relent, even when police marched toward them.”

Protesters in Kathmandu said the demonstrations were not guided by any political party or affiliated group. Rather, they described it as an impromptu response to rising corruption, censorship, nepotism, and favouritism.

“Nepal’s self-centred politicians’ indulgence in corruption and misgovernance has frustrated many, and members of Gen Z are no exception,” said Mr. Devkota. “Nepali politicians and their families living luxurious lives at the expense of the tax paid by their parents’ hard work lit the fire under Gen Z. They took to the streets to demand accountability.”

South Asian pattern?

The fall of Sheikh Hasina and her subsequent fleeing were widely described in Nepal as a sign that the country could see a “Bangladesh moment” sooner rather than later. While some dismissed it, others argued it was only a matter of time if Nepal’s ruling class—completely disconnected from ordinary citizens—refused to reform.

Mr. Khatiwada, who said he was at the protest site on Monday (September 8, 2025), noted that the way protesters stormed the parliament building clearly showed how angry they were.

Despite local authorities imposing a curfew, the protesters refused to back down. Nepal Army vehicles were deployed to enforce the curfew, but instead of retreating, protesters lay in front of them.

“Today’s protest — with Gen Z leading the charge — is definitely a defining moment for Nepal,” said Mr. Khatiwada. “Gen Z did not come to the streets just to protest the social media ban; they wanted to show the government how angry they are.”

Calls from the public grew for the Oli government to resign as casualty figures rose.

“This government has blood on its hands. The Oli government has committed murder,” said Mr. Devkota. “It must pay the price. The Prime Minister and the Home Minister must be held to account. Their resignation is not enough.”

PM Oli defends social media ban decision, blames “infiltrators” for Monday’s protest violence

In a statement, Mr. Oli said the government did not intend to block or ban any social media sites permanently, but the decision was made after the platforms failed to comply with Nepal’s registration requirements.

He expressed sorrow over the deaths during Monday’s (September 8, 2025) protests. “The families of the deceased will be provided compensation, and the injured will receive free treatment,” he said in the statement. “Today’s incident will be thoroughly investigated.”

Mr. Oli claimed that the deadly turn of events occurred after infiltrators took control of the protests, but stopped short of clarifying who these individuals were.