Oli Govt Under Fire as Death Toll in Gen-Z Protests Rises to 19 Nationwide

By Monday evening, the death toll in the Generation Z-led protests climbed to 19, marking one of the bloodiest crackdowns in Nepal’s recent history. Seventeen people were killed as police opened fire in Kathmandu, where hundreds gathered in New Baneshwar, and two others lost their lives in Sunsari’s Itahari where protesters set fire to the Sub-metropolitan City office.

What began as a youth-led campaign against corruption and the government’s sweeping social media ban has turned into a nationwide uprising. Demonstrators, many of them students and young professionals, also raised fiery slogans against Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and leaders of major political parties.

The heart of the capital became a battleground on Monday. Outside the Federal Parliament building, protesters tore through police barricades and clashed with security forces as they attempted to enter the premises. Police retaliated with water cannons, tear gas, rubber bullets—and eventually live rounds.

Hospitals in Kathmandu were soon overwhelmed. Civil, Everest, Trauma Centre, and KMC reported waves of casualties through the afternoon. More than 300 people are under treatment, with those in critical condition suffering gunshot wounds to the chest and head.

Journalists too were injured. Kantipur Television reporter Shyam Shrestha was shot while filming the protest and is currently undergoing treatment at Civil Hospital. Whether he was hit by a rubber bullet or live ammunition remains unclear. At least two other journalists sustained bullet injuries.

The Kathmandu District Administration responded with sweeping curfews, sealing off New Baneshwar and declaring restricted zones around the President’s residence, the Prime Minister’s residence in Baluwatar, and Singha Durbar.

The government has deployed Nepal Army at some sensitive areas, including New Baneshwar, to maintain order.

But the protests have now spread well beyond the capital. In Jhapa’s Damak, Prime Minister Oli’s hometown, protesters hurled stones at his residence. Police fired multiple rounds into the air to disperse the crowd. Ten people were injured in the clashes, and one gunshot victim had to be referred to B&C Hospital in Birtamode.

In Pokhara, an indefinite curfew was imposed after demonstrators surrounded the Gandaki Province Chief Minister’s Office. From 2 PM onwards, gatherings of more than five people were banned within a tightly defined perimeter. Security forces deployed tear gas, water cannons, and live fire to push back the crowd.

Rupandehi too saw flare-ups. As protests escalated in Butwal and Bhairahawa, authorities ordered a curfew from 4 PM to 10 PM, restricting movement and prohibiting rallies, assemblies, and sit-ins across the towns.

The crackdown has triggered a political backlash. The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) condemned the government’s actions, warning of an imminent “public revolt.” In its statement, the party declared: “The people will no longer tolerate attempts to prolong misrule drenched in the blood of their own children.” RSP demanded both the resignation of Prime Minister Oli and fresh elections.

The Maoist Centre, led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also called for Oli’s resignation, while leaders of the ruling coalition Nepali Congress demanded that Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, of the same party, step down. Dissent has even emerged from within Oli’s own CPN-UML, with some leaders openly criticising the use of force.

Meanwhile, human rights groups have denounced both the violent suppression of protests and the blanket ban on social media platforms. They argued that abruptly shutting down platforms without pursuing constructive, rights-based regulation punishes citizens and undermines democracy itself.

As night fell, Nepal’s streets remained tense—patrolled by security forces, shadowed by curfews, and marked by a rising death toll. What began as a protest against corruption and digital censorship has quickly evolved into a nationwide crisis, with the Oli government facing mounting political, social, and moral pressure.