A curfew has been imposed in Nepal’s Bara district following violent clashes between GenZ protesters and cadres of the CPN UML party. This renewed unrest underscores the ongoing political volatility in the country, occurring several months after the previous government’s downfall.
Authorities implemented the curfew to restore calm and prevent further escalation, as tensions ran high between the youth-led protest movement and supporters of the former ruling party. Security forces have been mobilized to critical locations within Bara to manage the volatile situation.
The latest confrontations reportedly stemmed from an incident at Kathmandu airport. A flight operated by Buddha Air, carrying CPN UML General Secretary Shankar Pokharel and youth leader Mahesh Basnet, was scheduled to depart for Simara to attend an anti-government rally. Upon hearing of their travel plans, GenZ protesters gathered at the airport, leading to a scuffle with accompanying UML cadres.
The disruption at the airport resulted in Buddha Air canceling all domestic flights to Simara for the day, causing the CPN UML leaders to abandon their trip. The CPN UML has been actively organizing nationwide demonstrations, calling for the reinstatement of the House of Representatives, a key demand following the ‘GenZ movement’ that played a role in the government change. Separately, GenZ activists are seeking accountability for alleged deaths of protesters on September 9 during demonstrations against corruption and a proposed social media ban.