Nepal Death Toll Climbs To 72 Amid Anti-Corruption Protests Fueled By Social Media Ban

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent, Worthy News

KATHMANDU (Worthy News) – A government ban on major social media platforms that enraged young Nepalis has spiraled into the country’s deadliest political violence in decades, with authorities saying Sunday that at least 72 people have been killed and hundreds more injured during protests reflecting years of frustration over corruption, inequality, and “curbs on freedoms.”

In early September 2025, the government blocked access to Facebook, X/Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, and other social media platforms, citing “national security.” The move triggered mass demonstrations led by Generation Z, who rely heavily on social media for communication, activism, and entertainment.

Yet the protests quickly evolved beyond digital freedoms. Demonstrators accused political elites of enriching themselves while ordinary people struggled with poverty, unemployment, and poor services, fueling long-standing anger over corruption and nepotism.

Many young Nepalis said they had grown disillusioned with a political system that has seen more than a dozen prime ministers since 2008 and has little accountability.

Rising prices and widening inequality added to the frustration, as did wider restrictions on freedoms. Protesters noted that beyond the social media ban, Nepal’s “anti-conversion” law has been used against Christians, even as laws against reconversion to Hinduism are rarely enforced.

VIOLENCE ESCALATES

Initially peaceful demonstrations turned violent when crowds stormed and set fire to government offices, Parliament, the Supreme Court, and even the Prime Minister’s residence. Security forces fired live rounds in some cases.

Authorities said dozens of government buildings were torched and more than 2,100 people were injured. Over 13,000 prisoners escaped during the unrest, deepening the sense of lawlessness.

The turmoil forced Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to resign on Tuesday. In response, Nepal’s president appointed former chief justice Sushila Karki as interim prime minister for six months to restore calm and prepare for new elections set for March 5, 2026.

In her first public remarks since taking office, Karki promised reforms and pledged compensation for victims’ families andfree medical care for the wounded. She also appealed for unity and urged protesters to return home.

Though tensions remain high, curfews have been lifted in much of the country.

CHRISTIANS CONCERNED

Amid the instability, advocacy group Christian Solidarity International (CSI) said minority Christians in Nepal fear they may be targeted during the unrest.

CSI said that groups of young men have threatened churches in western Nepal. In at least one case, police refused to intervene, reportedly telling a pastor “to call the army,” which was unreachable.

The congregation moved equipment to safety and began round-the-clock prayer inside the church, Christians said.

Elsewhere, a pastor near the Indian border reported Indian military forces assembling nearby, adding to uncertainty, Worthy News learned.

Observers warn that pro-monarchy movements, aligned with India’s Hindu right, may exploit the chaos to push for reinstating Nepal as a Hindu kingdom, reversing the secular republic declared in 2008.

CSI noted the fear is twofold: immediate violence against minorities, and longer-term erosion of constitutional guarantees of religious freedom if a monarchy revival gains traction.

Nepal’s churches have urged global Christians to pray for protection and for the nation’s fragile democracy to survive its gravest test in decades.

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