Kathmandu, 8 Sep

Five people were killed and 42 others injured on Monday as violent demonstrations led by youths against a Nepal government ban on social media sites intensified in Kathmandu, prompting authorities to deploy the Army to control the situation, officials said.

Thousands of youths, including school students, under the banner of Gen Z, clashed with the riot police in front of the Parliament building in Kathmandu.

The protests turned violent when some agitators entered the Parliament complex, prompting police to resort to baton charges, tear gas shells and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd, eyewitnesses said.

Forty-two people, including security personnel, were injured and are currently undergoing treatment in the Civil Hospital of Kathmandu, a Nepal Police spokesperson said.

Five people were killed in the violence, hospital sources said. However, there is no police confirmation on the death toll.

The Army has been deployed to control the situation, military officials said.

The Kathmandu District Administration issued a prohibitory order from 12.30 pm to 10.00 pm in areas surrounding the Parliament building to curb the unrest.

“No movement of people, demonstration, meeting, gathering or sit-in will be allowed in the restricted zone,” Chief District Officer Chhabi Lal Rijal said in a notice.

The local administration later extended the restrictive order to various areas surrounding Rastrapati Bhawan, the Vice-President’s residence and the Prime Minister's Office.

The Nepal government on 4 September banned 26 social media sites, including Facebook, WhatsApp and X, that do not comply with the mandated registration process.

Although the government has clarified its stance that the social media sites were banned to bring them under regulation, the general perception among the masses is that this will lead to an attack on free speech, and it may lead to censorship.