Nepal orders curfew in capital after 19 killed in protest crackdown

Authorities in Nepal have imposed a curfew in central Kathmandu, the nation’s capital, after security forces opened fire on protests against the government’s social media ban, killing at least 19 people, most of them young adults.

The Kathmandu District Administration Office announced the order on Tuesday, restricting all non-essential movement in key areas of the capital. Essential services such as ambulances, health workers, media, and tourists are exempted from the restrictions.

The curfew follows large-scale “Gen Z” protests on Monday after the government blocked access to dozens of social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Reddit, and X, for failing to register under new rules from the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology.

Demonstrators attempted to march on the Federal Parliament, where security forces responded with live fire, rubber bullets, and tear gas.

At least 19 people were killed and more than 300 others were injured, according to local media reports. Most of the victims were teenagers and young adults, some of whom were wearing school uniforms.

Doctors treating the injured described the scene as similar to a war zone. “Today felt like a war. We have worked during traffic accidents, earthquakes, and COVID, but today was different,” Dr. Paudel told Online Khabar. “We even had to treat patients on the floor.”

Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli withdrew the registration rule after the violence, while Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak stepped down citing moral responsibility. Local media outlets have since urged the prime minister to resign.