Kathmandu: The death toll in the Nepal ‘Gen Z revolution’ rose to 20 as thousands, including students in uniform, hit the streets in Kathmandu and other places to protest against the government’s ban on 26 social media platforms including Facebook, X and YouTube.
Nepal’s Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak took moral responsibility for the fatalities, and resigned from his post, The Kathmandu Post reported. Lekhak submitted his resignation to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli during an emergency Cabinet meeting, citing the violent suppression of demonstrators earlier in the day, which resulted in multiple casualties.
Clashes erupted between police forces and protestors at different locations, including near Parliament, with law enforcers forced to use water cannons, batons and rubber bullets to control the crowd, Reuters reported. As protesters turned violent and set vehicles and buildings on fire, threw stones and other missiles, police opened fire at some places.
Besides the fatalities, over 250 were injured across the Himalayan nation.
Photos and videos of the protests were shared widely on social media.
#WATCH | Nepal | People in Kathmandu stage a massive protest against the government over alleged corruption and the recent ban on social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and others.
At least 18 people have died and more than 250 people have been injured… pic.twitter.com/9pO8yj2e1h
— ANI (@ANI) September 8, 2025
#WATCH | Nepal: Thousands of people protest in Kathmandu against the ban on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and other social media sites, leading to clashes between police and protesters. pic.twitter.com/klrP1HRJQd
— ANI (@ANI) September 8, 2025
#WATCH | Kathmandu, Nepal | Protestors climb over police barricades as they stage a massive protest against the ban on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and other social media sites. pic.twitter.com/mHBC4C7qVV
— ANI (@ANI) September 8, 2025
They shot kids, protestors..fired hundreds of tear gas and even blocked ambulances. A peaceful “Gen-Z”protest was hijacked by outsiders with agendas. Years of corruption by Oli, Deuba & Prachanda brought us here. This government must resign, Nepal and nepalese deserves justice. pic.twitter.com/uZOcBWGa64
— BRS (@daarlagyomylord) September 8, 2025
The agitation reached Prime Minister Oli’s hometown, around 400 kilometres from capital Kathmandu, Nepalese media reported.
Protestors hurled stones at Oli’s ancestral home, in eastern Nepal’s Damak area in Koshi Province. Police had to fire warning shots to control the mob.
Meanwhile, an alert has been issued along the India-Nepal border, ANI quoted sources as saying. The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), which guards India’s border with Nepal and Bhutan, has stepped up vigilance.
“Sashastra Seema Bal is keeping a close watch on the development in Nepal,” officials told ANI.
Curfew in Kathmandu and other cities
Curfew, which was imposed in Kathmandu earlier in the day, has now been clamped in half a dozen other cities across Nepal. The cities include Birgunj, Bhairahawa, Butwal, Pokhara, Itahari and Damak.