Nepal Protest: Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak tenders his resignation to PM after 19 people died due to violence

Nepal Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak tendered his resignation to the Prime Minister during an emergency cabinet meeting held on Monday at the official residence of the Prime Minister in Baluwatar.

"The Home Minister had made it clear in the Nepali Congress meeting that he will be stepping down from the post on moral grounds. He tendered his resignation to the Prime Minister during the cabinet meeting this evening," a source confirmed ANI. Following violent protests that claimed 19 lives in a single day, PM KP Sharma Oli held an urgent cabinet meeting at his residence.

Nepal's Health Ministry noted that more than 250 people have been injured in today's protest. Gen Z youths staged protests in Kathmandu, Jhapa, Pokhara, Butwal, Chitwan, Nepalgunj and Biratnagar. The deadliest protests in two decades claimed 17 deaths in Kathmandu alone, with two deaths in Itahari City of Sunsari district.

Curfew in Nepal

The Kathmandu District Administration Office (DAO) declared the curfew from 12:30 PM to 10 PM on Monday.

The Rupandehi District Administration Office, about 270 kilometres from Kathmandu, has imposed curfew in Butwal and Bhairahawa from 4 pm to 10 pm on Monday, following similar protests in Kathmandu.

Chief District Officer Tokraj Pandey told ANI that the curfew has been enforced within designated zones, prohibiting any gatherings, rallies, protests, meetings, or sit-ins.

In Butwal, the curfew covers the area from Dhago Karkhana Bridge in the east to Belbas Chowk in the west, from Chidiyakhola in the north to Mangalpur in the south.

In Bhairahawa, it extends from Rohinikhola Bridge in the east to Bethari Bridge in the west, from Buddha Chowk in the north to Meudihawa in the south.

The administration also announced a ban on any gatherings or protests within 100 metres on either side of the Butwal-Belahiya road.

Meanwhile, a curfew has been imposed in Itahari of Sunsari district after protests went out of control. Chief District Officer Dharmendra Mishra said the Sunsari District Administration Office has ordered a curfew around the main square of Itahari from 3:30 pm today until further notice.

What is causing the protest?

Last week, the Nepal government blocked access to social media platforms, including popular sites like Facebook Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube and others in a crackdown on misuse.

Read more: Nepal protests: What triggered the massive deadly chaos in India's neighbourhood?

The Social Media ban came into effect on September 4, targeting platforms that had not registered with the government.

The government said social media users with fake IDs have been spreading hate speech and fake news, and committing fraud and other crimes via some platforms.