Little over two months after violent Gen-Z protests resulted in a regime change in Nepal, India’s eastern neighbour seems to be on the boil again. Tensions in Nepal’s Bara district escalated on Thursday after authorities re-imposed a daytime curfew following renewed confrontations between Gen-Z protesters and supporters of former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist).
The District Administration Office ordered the restriction from 1 pm to 8 pm local time, citing concerns over public safety amid a rapidly intensifying youth-driven movement that entered its second consecutive day on Thursday.
However, the curfew was lifted midway after the administration held a discussion with the Gen-Z protesters, restoring normalcy from 4.30 pm (local time) onwards.
On Wednesday, the unrest was triggered in Simara, where young demonstrators clashed with CPN-UML cadres during a protest.
Despite nearly a dozen CPN-UML workers reportedly being involved in the confrontation, police detained only two individuals, a response that has fuelled frustration among Gen-Z activists.
Their movement—symbolic of growing dissatisfaction with established political forces—has expanded as they demand accountability and a firmer stance from law enforcement agencies.
The immediate flashpoint came when news spread that CPN-UML general secretary Shankar Pokharel and youth leader Mahesh Basnet were flying from Kathmandu to Simara for an anti-government rally.
As their Buddha Air flight prepared to depart, protesters thronged the airport, confronting UML supporters who had also arrived.
The confrontation quickly intensified, prompting authorities to enforce a curfew in the surrounding areas, including the airport zone, to bring the situation under control.
Bara District Magistrate Dharmendra Kumar Mishra emphasised that the temporary curfew aimed to prevent further escalation and restore calm.
However, the recurring clashes underscore deepening political polarisation and the rising influence of Nepal’s younger generation, who are increasingly challenging traditional party structures and demanding a new political direction.
This came a little over two months after violent Gen-Z protests, reportedly held over a social media ban in the country, resulted in a overthrow of the KP Sharma Oli government.
On September 8, Kathmandu erupted in massive anti-government protests led by Gen-Z, which were also fuelled by years of anger over corruption and inequality.
The demonstrations escalated into violent clashes with police, leaving at least 51 dead and over 1,300 injured. A day later, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resigned, toppling his UML government.
Days later, Nepal’s former Chief Justice Sushila Karki was designated as the interim Prime Minister, becoming the first woman to hold the office.
After assuming power, Karki announced that those killed in the violent September protests would be declared “martyrs”.
Karki also announced a judicial enquiry into the incidents of murder, violence, arson, and looting that erupted during the Gen-Z protests in the country.
She alleged that the coordinated attacks on government and private properties in Kathmandu and across the country on September 9, carried out under the guise of protests, were part of a larger conspiracy.
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With inputs by Ganesh Shankar
