Nepal PM resigns as army takes control following deadly protest crackdown

Nepal’s Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli resigned on Wednesday, two days after security forces fired on protesters in Kathmandu. The crackdown left at least 30 people dead and hundreds injured during youth-led demonstrations that began over a government social media ban and escalated into the country’s deadliest political unrest in recent years.

Protesters have since demanded the dissolution of parliament and are backing Sushila Karki, Nepal’s first female chief justice, as interim leader. Karki, 73, who served as chief justice in 2016, has emerged as the frontrunner to lead a transitional government. Another contender is Balendra Shah, the mayor of Kathmandu, who has voiced support for the young movement.

The demonstrations, which began peacefully on Saturday, turned violent by Monday as protesters clashed with police outside the federal parliament building. Security forces used live ammunition, rubber bullets and water cannons to disperse crowds, resulting in the highest single-day civilian death toll in recent Nepali history. Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned shortly after, saying he took “moral responsibility” for the use of force.

Demonstrators set fire to major government institutions, including the parliament, the Supreme Court and the prime minister’s residence. Several political party offices and police posts were also attacked. Reports emerged that private homes of prominent leaders had been targeted, including the residence of former Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal. His wife, Rabi Laxmi Chitrakar, was initially reported dead after suffering severe burns, but Khanal’s personal secretary later confirmed she is undergoing treatment and her condition is improving.

The Nepalese Army announced on Wednesday night that it would assume control of law and order beginning at 10 p.m., enforcing an indefinite curfew across Kathmandu and surrounding districts. Troops began patrolling streets by early the next morning, surrounding protest sites and setting up roadblocks. Flights at Tribhuvan International Airport were delayed or canceled, and daily life across the capital came to a halt.

The United Nations human rights office condemned the killings, stating it was “shocked” by the security forces’ actions and calling for a prompt and independent investigation. “The fear of uniform is deeply ingrained,” said Rumela Sen, a lecturer at Columbia University who studies political violence in South Asia. Human Rights Watch warned Nepal’s participation in UN peacekeeping operations could face scrutiny if accountability is not ensured.