As protests in Nepal take an immensely violent turn, local media and videos on social media showed protesters attacking government buildings and the residences of the top political leaders.
Among many terrifying videos surfacing from the unrest in Nepal, a series of videos shared on social media showed protesters beating up former Prime Minister and Nepali Congress party leader Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife, Arzu Rana Deuba, the current foreign minister. Both appeared to be bleeding, while one video showed the party leader being helped to safety.
This came hours after Rajyalaxmi Chitrakar, the wife of Nepal’s former Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal, died after she was allegedly set on fire by the protestors. Protesters reportedly trapped Rajyalaxmi and set the house on fire.
The Army had to intervene and deploy its helicopters to ferry some of the Nepali ministers to safer places.
Here’s what happened:
According to the videos shared on social media, a group of protestors barged into the Deuba residence in Budanilkantha, Kathmandu, and brutally thrashed the politician couple.
In the initial videos, the couple can be seen reasoning with the protestors as the demonstrators usher them out of their home.
“Sorry bol,” a protestor can be heard saying in one of the videos.
However, in the later videos, a bloodied Sher Bahadur Deuba can be seen sitting on the ground as the Army rescued the couple. They reportedly are severely injured, but alive.
Watch the videos here:
Nepal protest
Protests against Nepal’s short-lived ban on social media grew increasingly violent on Tuesday as demonstrators not just set government buildings on fire, but also targeted the homes of politicians, attacking leaders and their wives.
Nepal Prime Minister KP Oli resigned amid widening criticism of the country’s political elite and growing calls for his ouster. However, the resignation appeared to have little effect on the unrest.
Tens of thousands of Gen Z Nepali protesters remained on the streets late in the day, blocking roads and storming government facilities.
The demonstrations, called the protest of Gen Z, spiralled to reflect broader discontent. In particular, many young people are angry that the children of political leaders, so-called nepo kids, seem to enjoy luxury lifestyles and numerous advantages, while most youth struggle to find work.
With youth unemployment running at about 20% last year, according to the World Bank, the government estimates that more than 2,000 young people leave the country every day to seek work in the Middle East or Southeast Asia.