Gen-Z Uprising Rocks Nepal: Death Toll Rises to 51, Over 12,500 Prisoners Escape

ছবিঃ সংগৃহীত

International Desk:
Nepal is facing its worst political and social turmoil in decades as a Gen-Z-led uprising shakes the Himalayan nation. Within just two days of protests, the country’s governance system has collapsed. Protesters set fire to parliament premises, ministers’ residences, and several government buildings, forcing Communist Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli to resign. Nearly all cabinet members have either fled the country or gone into hiding.

With no effective government in place, the nation has descended into anarchy. Despite curfews, security forces are struggling to restore order. The military has opened dialogue with protest leaders in hopes of stabilizing the situation and forming a new government.

So far, at least 51 people have been killed in the unrest, according to Nepal Police spokesperson DIG Binod Ghimire, quoted by Al Jazeera. More than 12,500 inmates have escaped after prison breakouts, worsening law-and-order concerns. Authorities confirmed that 13,572 prisoners fled from jails, along with another 560 detainees in police custody. Only about 1,000 have been recaptured so far.

Hospitals across the country are overwhelmed, with casualty figures ranging from 500 to over 1,000 injured in different regions. Security forces have been deployed to key sites, including Tribhuvan International Airport and parliament, while several ministers were airlifted to safety during the violence.

Curfews remain in place across major cities, but reports of gunfire and injuries continue to emerge. Calls for investigations and compensation are growing louder. India has tightened security along the West Bengal border, closely monitoring developments.

Analysts say the protests were sparked when the government banned 26 social media platforms—including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and X—but the anger runs deeper. Years of nepotism, corruption, rising unemployment, and social inequality fueled frustration among Nepal’s youth. Experts warn that the Gen-Z uprising represents not just a demand for digital freedom, but a generational rejection of systemic governance failures.

The government acknowledges that dialogue, political will, and rebuilding public trust are the only ways out of the crisis.