Deuba thrashed, Khanal’s wife killed in protests
Nepal protests over social media curbs kill 19, spark arsons, intensify youth anger, and fuel urgent calls for dialogue.
The ongoing ‘Gen Z’ protests in Nepal, sparked by anger over social media restrictions, rapidly spiralled into violent unrest. In a separate horrifying episode, former Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal’s wife, Rajyalaxmi Chitrakar, tragically lost her life after being set ablaze. These events highlight the grave escalation of youth-led demonstrations into unprecedented political violence.
On Monday, anger and frustration that had been simmering among Nepal’s youth finally boiled over onto the streets of Kathmandu. The protests, initially triggered by the government’s sudden decision to block several popular social media sites, quickly escalated into violent confrontations. Young demonstrators, many of them students and unemployed graduates, poured into the capital in huge numbers, chanting slogans, waving banners, and demanding their voices be heard. As the crowds swelled and emotions flared, the police, struggling to contain the unrest, resorted to opening fire. The clash left 19 people dead—a grim reminder of how deep the discontent runs in a nation where opportunities for the younger generation are painfully scarce.
What began as anger over digital restrictions soon turned into a broader expression of despair. On Tuesday, the protests intensified, morphing into outright chaos as mobs set fire to government buildings and even homes of political leaders. Despite Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s resignation—an attempt to ease tensions—the violence did not subside. The anger of the youth, many of whom feel abandoned by their leaders, had already crossed a dangerous threshold.
The fury was not just symbolic. It became deeply personal. Videos circulated on the very platforms the government had tried to restrict, showing shocking scenes of mobs attacking five-time Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife, Arzu Rana Deuba, who also serves as Nepal’s foreign minister. The images of the elderly leader and his wife being beaten and bleeding, before party workers rushed them to safety, horrified many across the nation. For supporters of the Nepali Congress, the country’s largest political party and a key member of the governing coalition, the attack was a devastating blow.
The violence did not stop there. In Dallu, the house of another former Prime Minister, Jhala Nath Khanal, was set ablaze by an enraged mob. His wife, Rajyalaxmi Chitrakar, tragically found herself trapped inside. Hours later, news broke that she had succumbed to her injuries in hospital. The horrifying death of Rajyalaxmi sent shockwaves through Nepal, symbolizing the dangerous turn these protests had taken—from angry dissent to personal vendettas, from political demonstration to human tragedy.
The fury of the protesters spread further. Properties belonging to President Ramchandra Paudel, former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Communication Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung, and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak were also attacked. Eyewitnesses described harrowing scenes of flames engulfing leaders’ homes, thick smoke rising above Kathmandu’s skyline, and frightened families fleeing for safety.
The scale of the destruction forced the country’s security apparatus to act. through dialogue, not violence. Yet, the call for calm seemed distant against the backdrop of smoldering ruins and grieving families.
Youth unemployment stood at about 20 percent last year, according to World Bank data. For many, social media was more than just entertainment—it was their space to connect, to voice frustration, and to find solidarity. The government’s decision to block those platforms felt like the last straw, silencing voices already weighed down by economic despair and political disillusionment.
Now, as Nepal grapples with its worst political violence in years, the country stands at a crossroads. The tragic deaths, the torching of leaders’ homes, and the unprecedented assault on figures like Sher Bahadur Deuba reveal an ugly truth: this is no longer just about social media. Unless the political class listens, the flames of discontent may continue to burn far longer than the fires that consumed Kathmandu’s streets this week.