Kathmandu: Nepal Government lifted ban on social media plat forms after severe protest caused to the death of 19 people in Kathmandu on Monday.

Nepal Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned from his post after lifting the ban on social media apps. More than 300 people were injured and 19 people were died in violent clashes in Nepal’s Kathmandu as Gen-Z protestors took to the streets to protest against corruption and the Government’s ban on several social media apps.

The army was deployed in the Nepali capital after angry protesters broke curfew restrictions and entered restricted zones near Parliament. Police responded with water cannons, teargas, and rubber bullets after demonstrators threw tree branches and water bottles and shouted anti-government slogans. According to the media reports some protesters even managed to enter the Parliament compound, intensifying the situation.

In response to the unrest, the Kathmandu District Administration Office extended the curfew initially imposed in the Baneshwar area in Kathmandu. The new restrictions now include several high-security zones, such as the President’s residence (Shital Niwas), the Vice-President’s residence in Lainchaur, Maharajgunj, all sides of Singha Durbar, the Prime Minister’s residence in Baluwatar, and adjacent areas.

According to Chief District Officer Chhabilal Rijal, the curfew will remain in effect from 12:30 PM to 10:00 PM (local time). The public has been strictly prohibited from movement, gatherings, protests, or encirclement activities within these zones.

Two people were reportedly injured due to the rubber bullet fired by police to control the crowd. In Kathmandu, Kantipur Television journalist Shyam Shrestha was hit by a rubber bullet while covering the demonstrations in Baneshwar. He is currently receiving treatment at Civil Hospital. Protests have also spread in different parts of the country. In Pokhara, local authorities have imposed a curfew, where demonstrators reportedly damaged the Chief Minister’s office. Nepal Prime Minister KP Oli has called an emergency cabinet meeting over the matter.

In Nepal, several social media sites, including Facebook, YouTube, and X, were inaccessible since Friday after the Government blocked 26 unregistered platforms, leaving users angry and confused. Popular platforms, such as Instagram and Snapchat, have millions of users in Nepal who rely on them for entertainment, news, and business.

The move sparked public outrage, especially among young people, who accused the government of stifling free expression while failing to address deep-seated corruption. On Monday, thousands of Generation Z demonstrators marched in Kathmandu demanding that the Government lift its ban on social media platforms and end the culture of corruption pervading the country.

The cabinet decided last month to give the affected companies seven days to register in Nepal, establish a point of contact, and designate a resident grievance handling officer and compliance officer. The decision came after a Supreme Court order in September last year.

Government in a statement said it respected freedom of thought and expression and was committed to creating an environment for their protection and unfettered use.

Nepal has restricted access to popular online platforms in the past. The government blocked access to the Telegram messaging app in July, citing a rise in online fraud and money laundering. It lifted a nine-month ban on TikTok in August last year after the platform agreed to comply with Nepali regulations.