After Oli’s fall, Nepal’s Gen Z takes to streets again, defies curfew in Bara unrest
The September protests, which led to Oli’s fall and left 76 dead, continue to cast a long shadow. The caretaker government that replaced him dissolved Parliament on day one, setting March 5, 2026, as the date for fresh elections.
- Nov 20, 2025,
- Updated Nov 20, 2025 8:30 PM IST
Nepal’s Bara district is bracing for unrest as Gen Z protesters flooded the streets for a second straight day on November 20, openly defying curfew orders and escalating a showdown with both the police and the political class they accuse of betrayal.
What started as a clash on November 19 between young demonstrators and CPN-UML cadres has spiraled into a broader confrontation, exposing deep-seated resentment simmering since the September uprising that ousted former prime minister K P Sharma Oli.
By late today morning, protest hotspots like Simara Chowk were teeming again. Authorities imposed a curfew from 1 pm to 8 pm, but protesters ignored it almost instantly. “Curfew has been reimposed following the clash with the police to bring the situation under control,” said Assistant Chief District Officer Chhabiraman Subedi — though the streets told a different story.
Tensions flared as police fired tear gas and aerial rounds. Protesters pelted stones, injuring six police personnel, while four Gen Z demonstrators were also hurt, according to Khabarhub. In total, 10 people were injured.
In Simara Bazaar, a police beat was torched. Protesters stormed the UML office, pulling out and burning materials, accusing police of shielding party supporters instead of arresting them.
The spark came yesterday, when news spread of UML leaders Shankar Pokharel and Mahesh Basnet arriving from Kathmandu to address a rally. Protesters rushed to block their arrival, prompting clashes. The event was later scrapped as a curfew was imposed around Simara airport, which suspended operations after tear gas was fired.
In response to complaints filed by Gen Z activists, police arrested two UML ward chairs: Dhan Bahadur Shrestha (Jeetpursimara Ward 2) and Kaimoddin Ansari (Ward 6).
But the unrest is part of a deeper political upheaval. The September protests, which led to Oli’s fall and left 76 dead, continue to cast a long shadow. The caretaker government that replaced him — led by former chief justice Sushila Karki — dissolved Parliament on day one, setting March 5, 2026, as the date for fresh elections.
While Oli’s CPN-UML has been holding nationwide protests demanding reinstatement of Parliament, Gen Z voices are rallying for accountability — especially over the September 9 bloodshed during protests against corruption and a now-abandoned social media ban.
(With inputs from agencies)
Nepal’s Bara district is bracing for unrest as Gen Z protesters flooded the streets for a second straight day on November 20, openly defying curfew orders and escalating a showdown with both the police and the political class they accuse of betrayal.
What started as a clash on November 19 between young demonstrators and CPN-UML cadres has spiraled into a broader confrontation, exposing deep-seated resentment simmering since the September uprising that ousted former prime minister K P Sharma Oli.
By late today morning, protest hotspots like Simara Chowk were teeming again. Authorities imposed a curfew from 1 pm to 8 pm, but protesters ignored it almost instantly. “Curfew has been reimposed following the clash with the police to bring the situation under control,” said Assistant Chief District Officer Chhabiraman Subedi — though the streets told a different story.
Tensions flared as police fired tear gas and aerial rounds. Protesters pelted stones, injuring six police personnel, while four Gen Z demonstrators were also hurt, according to Khabarhub. In total, 10 people were injured.
In Simara Bazaar, a police beat was torched. Protesters stormed the UML office, pulling out and burning materials, accusing police of shielding party supporters instead of arresting them.
The spark came yesterday, when news spread of UML leaders Shankar Pokharel and Mahesh Basnet arriving from Kathmandu to address a rally. Protesters rushed to block their arrival, prompting clashes. The event was later scrapped as a curfew was imposed around Simara airport, which suspended operations after tear gas was fired.
In response to complaints filed by Gen Z activists, police arrested two UML ward chairs: Dhan Bahadur Shrestha (Jeetpursimara Ward 2) and Kaimoddin Ansari (Ward 6).
But the unrest is part of a deeper political upheaval. The September protests, which led to Oli’s fall and left 76 dead, continue to cast a long shadow. The caretaker government that replaced him — led by former chief justice Sushila Karki — dissolved Parliament on day one, setting March 5, 2026, as the date for fresh elections.
While Oli’s CPN-UML has been holding nationwide protests demanding reinstatement of Parliament, Gen Z voices are rallying for accountability — especially over the September 9 bloodshed during protests against corruption and a now-abandoned social media ban.
(With inputs from agencies)