In a dramatic turn of events, Nepal’s political landscape was upended on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, as Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli resigned amid a wave of violent protests that swept across the Himalayan nation. The unrest, sparked by a contentious social media ban and deep-seated frustrations over government corruption, left at least 19 people dead and the capital, Kathmandu, reeling under curfew and chaos.
The sequence of events unfolded rapidly. Just days earlier, the government had moved to block over two dozen social media platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, and X, after the companies failed to comply with new registration requirements. According to The Associated Press, authorities justified the blackout as a necessary measure to ensure that platforms were “properly managed, responsible and accountable.” Yet, for many Nepalese—especially the younger generation—this was a step too far.
Protests began as a direct challenge to the social media ban but quickly evolved into a broader indictment of the political class. Demonstrators, many of them college and school students, took to the streets in Kathmandu and other cities. They chanted, “Stop the ban on social media. Stop corruption, not social media,” waving national flags and demanding justice for what they saw as years of entrenched graft and dwindling economic prospects. “I am here to protest about the massive corruption in our country,” student Bishnu Thapa Chetri told AP. “The country has gotten so bad that for us youths there is no grounds for us to stay back in the country.”
By Monday, September 8, the situation had escalated dramatically. Tens of thousands surrounded the Parliament building, blocking roads and burning tires. According to The Himalayan, protesters stormed the private residences of several top leaders, including Prime Minister Oli himself, as well as Communication Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung. The homes of Sher Bahadur Deuba, leader of the Nepali Congress, President Ram Chandra Poudel, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, and former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal were also set ablaze. Even a private school owned by Arzu Deuba Rana, Nepal’s foreign minister and Deuba’s wife, was targeted. The army was reportedly deployed to evacuate ministers by helicopter as smoke filled the skies above Kathmandu.
Authorities responded with force. Police opened fire on the crowds, resulting in the deaths of at least 19 protesters. According to Dr. Badri Risa at the National Trauma Center, “Many of them are in serious condition and appear to have been shot in the head and chest.” Families waited anxiously for news of loved ones, while volunteers lined up to donate blood for the wounded. The United Nations Human Rights Office quickly called for a “prompt and transparent investigation” into the killings, with spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani citing “deeply worrying allegations of unnecessary or disproportionate use of force by security forces during protests organized by youth groups.”
The violence and destruction prompted immediate political fallout. Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned late Monday following an emergency Cabinet meeting, and Agriculture Minister Ram Nath Adhikari stepped down in protest over the government’s crackdown. By Tuesday, Prime Minister Oli had little choice but to follow suit. Before submitting his resignation, he called for an all-party meeting, urging, “all brothers and sisters to remain calm in this difficult situation.” In his statement, Oli expressed regret over the loss of life, saying, “I am deeply saddened by the loss of lives during today’s demonstration. I express my deepest condolences to the families and relatives of those who lost their family members in this unthinkable incident. The government will provide appropriate relief to the families of the deceased and free treatment to the injured.” He announced the formation of an investigation committee to report within 15 days and promised compensation for the victims’ families.
Despite the government’s attempts at damage control, the anger on the streets was palpable. Protesters like Narayan Acharya were unrelenting: “We are here to protest because our youths and friends are getting killed, we are here to seek that justice is done and the present regime is ousted. K.P. Oli should be chased away.” Durganah Dahal, another demonstrator, added, “As long as this government is in power, the people like us will continue to suffer. They killed so many youths yesterday who had so much to look forward to, now they can easily kill us all. We protest until this government is finished.”
The unrest had ripple effects far beyond the political sphere. Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport, the country’s main gateway, was shut down amid what officials described as “unprecedented” security concerns. Flights were diverted, and the city was placed under indefinite curfew. Schools in the capital were closed, and the usually bustling streets were eerily quiet, save for the sounds of protest and the wail of sirens.
At the heart of the crisis was the government’s controversial move to regulate social media. The bill, which required platforms to register locally and submit to government oversight, was widely condemned by rights groups as a tool for censorship. Critics argued that it was a thinly veiled attempt to silence dissent and punish government opponents who voiced their frustrations online. While TikTok, Viber, and a handful of other platforms complied and continued operating, most major networks were blocked until the ban was hastily lifted on Tuesday in response to mounting pressure.
Prime Minister Oli, in his resignation statement, tried to frame the crisis as a misunderstanding. He blamed “ambiguity between the thinking” of the Gen Z protesters and the government’s intentions, insisting, “The government was not in favor of stopping the use of social media and will ensure an environment for its use. There was no need to keep demonstrating for this.” But for many, these words rang hollow. As Sahil Singh, a Kathmandu-based entrepreneur, told NBC News, “I want a real change after this, I mean a good system and government. Right now the whole country is in chaos.”
The international community watched the unfolding events with concern. India, Nepal’s neighbor, expressed sadness over the loss of young lives and urged restraint and dialogue. The U.N. called for accountability and a thorough investigation. Meanwhile, the people of Nepal—especially its youth—made it clear that their demands for transparency, opportunity, and justice would not be easily silenced.
As the dust settles over Kathmandu, the future of Nepal’s democracy hangs in the balance. The resignation of Prime Minister Oli may have satisfied some immediate demands, but the deeper issues of corruption, censorship, and generational frustration remain unresolved. For now, the streets are quieter, but the echoes of protest linger—a stark reminder of a society unwilling to accept business as usual.