Violent protests swept across Nepal on September 9, with demonstrators setting fire to political party offices, residences of senior leaders, and even the private home of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in Balkot. The unrest followed September 9’s deadly clashes that left at least 19 people dead and over 200 injured.
Crowds gathered near Oli’s residence, demanding accountability for the deaths. According to The Himalayan Times, protesters torched the property while chanting against corruption and state repression.
The central office of the Nepali Congress in Sanepa was also vandalised, and the homes of party president Sher Bahadur Deuba in Budhanilkantha and other senior leaders came under attack. Offices of CPN-UML in Lalitpur’s Chyasal were set ablaze, with demonstrators breaking windows and hurling stones.
Police used tear gas to disperse crowds, but reports suggested gunfire and bullet injuries despite official claims that security forces had been told not to use live ammunition.
Amid the escalating violence, Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu was shut down, with the Nepali Army deployed to secure the facility.
The protests, largely driven by Gen Z activists, intensified after the government briefly imposed a social media ban, which was lifted late Monday night. Anger over corruption allegations has since spilled into targeted attacks on leaders’ homes.
Protesters set fire to the house of Communication and Information Technology Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung and pelted stones at the residences of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel, Nepal Rastra Bank Governor Biswo Paudel, and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, The Kathmandu Post reported.
Prime Minister Oli appealed for calm while announcing an all-party meeting to address the crisis. “I am in dialogue with the relevant parties to assess the situation and find a meaningful conclusion. For that, I have also called an all-party meeting at 6 pm today. I humbly request all brothers and sisters to remain calm in this difficult situation,” he said.
The protests mark one of the most intense waves of political unrest in Nepal in recent years, with demonstrators openly challenging the authority of major political parties and their leaders.
