Demonstrators assist a person injured throughout a protest exterior Parliament, in Kathmandu on September 8, 2025 [AFP]
At the least 14 individuals have been killed and dozens extra injured in Nepal after safety forces opened fireplace on protesters within the capital, Kathmandu, and throughout different districts throughout demonstrations in opposition to a authorities ban on social media platforms and widespread allegations of corruption.
The protests, which started peacefully with younger demonstrators waving nationwide flags and singing the anthem, escalated sharply on Monday when some protesters broke by means of barricades exterior parliament. Police responded with batons, water cannons, tear fuel, and rubber bullets. Witnesses and hospital officers reported that stay rounds had been additionally fired.
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Shekhar Khanal, spokesman for the Kathmandu valley police, confirmed that 10 protesters had died and 87 others had been injured within the clashes, including that “the crowds are nonetheless within the streets.” Docs at Civil Hospital described chaotic scenes as tear fuel drifted into remedy areas. “I’ve by no means seen such a disturbing state of affairs on the hospital,” mentioned Ranjana Nepal, the hospital’s info officer.
On the Nationwide Trauma Centre, seven protesters succumbed to their wounds, in keeping with Badri Risal, chief medical superintendentm“Lots of them are in critical situation and seem to have been shot within the head and chest,” he mentioned. Households of the injured gathered anxiously exterior emergency wards whereas others lined as much as donate blood.
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The demonstrations had been triggered after the federal government on Friday blocked entry to 26 unregistered on-line platforms, together with Fb, YouTube, and X, leaving thousands and thousands lower off from their major sources of stories, communication, and enterprise. Solely TikTok remained operational, the place movies contrasting the lavish existence of politicians’ kids with the struggles of bizarre residents went viral, fuelling public anger.
However protesters insist their grievances run deeper than the ban. “We had been triggered by the social media ban, however that’s not the one motive we’re gathered right here,” mentioned 24-year-old scholar Yujan Rajbhandari. “We’re protesting in opposition to corruption that has been institutionalised in Nepal.” One other demonstrator, 20-year-old Ikshama Tumrok, mentioned the protests mirrored a broader rejection of the federal government “authoritarian attitudes.”
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Authorities have imposed a sweeping curfew throughout central Kathmandu, together with the parliament complicated, the president’s residence, and Singha Durbar — house to the prime minister’s workplace. Muktiram Rijal, spokesperson for the Kathmandu District Administration Workplace, mentioned police had orders to deploy water cannon, batons, and rubber bullets, and that the military had been known as in to implement order. The curfew is because of stay in place till 10pm.
The federal government has defended its determination, saying the ban was launched after a Supreme Court docket order final yr required overseas platforms to register regionally, designate compliance officers, and set up a grievance mechanism. In an announcement, officers mentioned they revered freedom of expression and had been dedicated to making sure “unfettered use” of on-line platforms inside a regulated framework.
This isn’t Nepal’s first conflict with on-line companies. Telegram was briefly blocked in July over fraud issues, whereas TikTok was banned for 9 months earlier than being reinstated final yr after agreeing to comply with Nepali guidelines.
For a lot of protesters, nonetheless, Monday’s bloodshed represents a breaking level. “We wish to see change. Others have endured this, however it has to finish with our technology,” Tumrok mentioned.
