Nepal home minister resigns, takes moral responsibility after violent Gen-Z protests leave 20 dead

Nepal’s Home Minister Ramesh Lal Lekhak has resigned, taking moral responsibility for the deaths during violent protests in Kathmandu. He informed party leaders of his decision during a meeting at President Sher Bahadur Deuba’s residence on Monday evening.

Home Minister Lekhak submitted his resignation to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli during a Cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister’s residence in Baluwatar, citing moral responsibility for the violence.

“There was a huge loss of human lives in today’s protest. I have to take moral responsibility for that, and I will not sit in the post on moral grounds,” Lekhak told OnlineKhabar.

The protests erupted after the government banned major social media platforms, including Facebook, X and YouTube, over state registration rules. Tens of thousands of demonstrators demanded an end to the social media restrictions and an end to the country’s widespread corruption.

The unrest turned deadly, with at least 20 protesters killed and more than 250 injured. Police used water cannons, tear gas, and rubber bullets, while demonstrators clashed with security forces, set motorcycles on fire, and stormed barricades near the parliament. Some protesters even climbed the walls of restricted areas, escalating tensions.

Ranjana Nepal, an information officer at the nearby Civil Hospital, said the emergency ward was overwhelmed with injured protesters. In response, the district administration imposed curfews around key areas, including the parliament, the president’s residence, and Singha Durbar, the prime minister’s office.