Nepal: Death toll from Gen Z protests rises to 31, talks on to establish interim govt

Kathmandu [Nepal], September 11 (HBTV): The death toll from the ongoing Gen Z protests in the Kathmandu Valley has climbed to 31, The Kathmandu Post reported, citing officials from the Department of Forensic Medicine at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, where the deceased were brought for postmortem examinations.

According to the report, the identities of 25 victims have been preliminarily confirmed, while six others, including five men and one woman, remain unidentified.

‘We have carried out a postmortem following international protocol... We are asked to store the body; we cannot unveil details of the deceased,’ said Dr Gopal Kumar Chaudhary, Head of the Department, as quoted by The Kathmandu Post.

Authorities said most identifications were made through documents recovered from protest sites or by family members recognising the bodies. Over 1,000 people have also been injured in the protests across the region.

Meanwhile, Ravi Laxmi Chitrakar, the wife of former Nepalese Prime Minister and senior CPN (Unified Socialist) leader Jhala Nath Khanal, is in critical condition after suffering severe burns in an arson attack during the demonstrations, The Kathmandu Post reported.

Earlier reports had claimed she was killed in the attack, but officials confirmed she survived. Chitrakar was admitted to Kirtipur Hospital on Tuesday after demonstrators set fire to her residence in the Dallu area of Kathmandu while she was still inside.

Amid the unrest, negotiations are under way between the Nepalese Army, President Ram Chandra Paudel, and representatives of Gen Z youth to decide the leadership of an interim government, The Himalayan Post reported.

Gen Z protest leaders have unanimously nominated former Chief Justice Sushila Karki for the post of interim Prime Minister. Talks will begin between Karki’s team and the Army leadership, including Chief of Army Staff Ashok Raj Sigdel, and may later move to the President’s Office at Sheetal Niwas depending on how the situation develops.

Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah ‘Balen’ has also voiced support for Karki, strengthening her position as the candidate of the Gen Z movement.

The protests began on September 8 in Kathmandu and other major cities, including Pokhara, Butwal, and Birgunj, following the government’s decision to ban major social media platforms, citing concerns over tax revenue and cybersecurity.

Curfew was imposed in several cities, including Kathmandu, to control the situation, and will remain in place until Friday morning, according to a statement issued by the Nepalese Army.

Protesters have demanded an end to ‘institutionalised corruption and favouritism’ in governance, calling for greater accountability and transparency in decision-making. Public anger has intensified further after the ‘Nepo Babies’ trend on social media highlighted the lavish lifestyles of politicians’ children, underlining the economic disparity between them and ordinary citizens.

(ANI)