19 Killed in Gen-Z Protests Across Nepal, Home Minister Resigns

At least 19 people, including students in school uniforms, have been killed as Gen-Z protests against corruption and the recent ban on social media turned deadly across Nepal on Monday. Hundreds more were injured as police opened fire to stop demonstrators, many of them teenagers, from storming the gates of the Federal Parliament in New Baneshwor.

Most of the victims lost their lives near the Parliament building gate in Baneshwor, where clashes between protesters and security forces were the most intense. Parents and family members of the injured have gathered outside the National Trauma Centre, staging fresh demonstrations and demanding justice.

Nationwide Spread of Protests

What began in Kathmandu soon spread to other major cities, including Pokhara, Butwal, Bhairahawa, Bharatpur, Itahari, and Damak. Young people defied curfew orders, marching through the streets and chanting slogans against corruption and censorship.

The movement, largely led by students and first-time protesters, has been described as the most powerful youth uprising in recent years.

Deaths and Injuries Across Hospitals

Hospital officials confirmed 17 deaths in Kathmandu alone:

• 8 at National Trauma Centre
• 3 at Everest Hospital
• 3 at Civil Hospital
• 2 at Kathmandu Medical College
• 1 at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital

In Sunsari district, two protesters injured in Itahari also died, bringing the nationwide toll to 19.

Doctors said more than 347 people are under treatment at hospitals across the country, with dozens in critical condition. Hospitals remain overwhelmed, treating patients with gunshot wounds and baton injuries.

Home Minister Steps Down

 Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned on Monday evening. He submitted his resignation to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli during a cabinet meeting, saying he could not remain in office after such a devastating loss of life.

Lekhak earlier told party colleagues he would leave his post on moral and ethical grounds, acknowledging his responsibility for the bloodshed.

Families Demand Justice

Scenes outside Kathmandu’s Trauma Centre reflected the grief and anger sweeping the country. Parents wept for their children killed in uniform, while relatives of the wounded demanded accountability from the government.

Protesters and families accuse the state of silencing young voices instead of addressing the issues of corruption and the controversial social media ban that sparked the demonstrations.

Situation Remains Tense

Security has been tightened around the Parliament building and across major cities. Despite curfews and heavy police deployment, the mood remains tense nationwide. Human rights groups have urged restraint, while observers warn the death toll could rise further if critical protesters   not survive.

For Nepal’s Gen-Z, Monday marked both a tragedy and a turning point an expression of frustration against corruption and censorship that has now left families mourning, hospitals overwhelmed, and the government facing one of its toughest crises in years.