Overview

• Police in Kathmandu confirmed at least 16 deaths and about 100 hospitalizations after dispersing crowds near Parliament, with hospital staff reporting more than 150 injured arrivals.
• Later tallies cited by local media raised the death toll to 19 and injuries to roughly 400, figures not reflected in the earlier official count.
• The protest was triggered by a government order blocking 26 platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, X and LinkedIn, under a 2023 Supreme Court framework requiring local representatives and content compliance.
• Police said they used tear gas and water cannons when demonstrators entered a restricted zone, while witnesses and local outlets alleged live fire that AFP said it could not immediately verify.
• The government convened an emergency cabinet meeting under Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, curfews were imposed in parts of the capital, and local media reported Interior Minister Ramesh Lekhak’s resignation as rights groups demanded an independent inquiry.