KATHMANDU, Sep 9: Violence continued on Tuesday in several parts of Nepal even after Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s resignation, which appeared to have little effect on the protesters who set fire to the Parliament, the President’s Office, the PM’s residence, government buildings, political parties’ offices and homes of senior leaders.
The army took charge of security from Tuesday night following several incidents of arson, vandalism and looting in different parts of the country despite curfews.
Oli quit on Tuesday shortly after hundreds of agitators entered his office demanding his resignation for the death of at least 19 people in police action during Monday’s protests by Gen Z over corruption and a government ban on social media. The ban on social media was lifted Monday night.
A mob set a house belonging to former prime minister Jhala Nath Khanal on fire in Dallu. His wife, Rajyalaxmi Chitrakar, who was trapped inside the house, sustained serious burn injuries and succumbed during treatment.
The protesters also burnt the house of former finance minister and Nepali Congress leader Ramsaran Mahat at Kapan, Kathmandu.
The agitating groups set fire to the Supreme Court building, the main administrative complex of the government, Singhdurbar, the President’s Office at Maharajgunj, and the Prime Minister’s residence at Baluwatar.
A number of police posts, including Gaushala Police Post, Lubhu Police Post and Kalimati Police Beat, were also set on fire by mobs.
The protesters also set on fire the house belonging to former prime minister and Nepali Congress chief Sher Bahadur Deuba at Budhanilkantha in the east of Kathmandu.
A video went viral on social media showing protesters capturing Deuba and his wife, foreign minister Arzu Rana, from their residence. The couple sustained minor injuries in the scuffle and appeared to be bleeding.
The protesters also set fire to former prime minister Baburam Bhattarai’s house in Tokha, Kathmandu.
A viral video on social media showed Deputy PM and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel being chased by protesters and later physically attacked by them.
In a video message, Army Chief Ashok Raj Sigdel asked the protesting groups in the country to suspend their protest programs and engage in dialogue.
In a joint statement, the Embassies of Australia, Finland, France, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America in Nepal urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint and avoid further escalation.
The United Nations in Nepal urged protesters to demonstrate peacefully and avoid violence, while also calling on authorities to ensure that law enforcement responses remain proportionate and consistent with international human rights standards.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) to discuss developments in Nepal, where violent protests have toppled the government headed by KP Sharma Oli, and stressed that stability, peace and prosperity of the country are of utmost importance to India.
Modi said the violence in Nepal, in which at least 19 people have lost their lives, is heart-rending and appealed to “brothers and sisters in Nepal to support peace”.
Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet have cancelled their flights to Kathmandu.
The Sashastra Seema Bal that guards the 1751-km-long unfenced international front with Nepal has stepped up security across all its border posts and vulnerable points, officials said. (PTI)
Protesters set fire to Parliament, President’s Office, PM’s residence, govt buildings, political parties’ offices and homes of senior leaders
Ex-PM Jhala Nath Khanal’s wife succumbs to burn injuries after mob torches house
Mob capture, assault ex-PM Sher Bahadur Deuba, wife
Deputy PM and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel chased by protesters, physically assaulted
Ban on social media lifted
Indian airlines cancel flights to Kathmandu
India says closely monitoring developments in Nepal
Modi chairs CCS meet