Kathmandu: At least 19 people were killed and over 100 injured on Monday in Nepal’s worst unrest in decades, after thousands of young protesters clashed with police in Kathmandu and other cities. The violence erupted over a government decision to block access to major social media platforms, coupled with widespread anger at corruption.

In the capital, demonstrators—many of them students in school and college uniforms—broke through barricades to storm the parliament complex, set fire to an ambulance, and hurled objects at riot police. Security forces responded with batons, tear gas, water cannons, and rubber bullets, leaving dozens wounded. “The police fired indiscriminately,” one protester told ANI, claiming his friend was shot in the hand.

Authorities confirmed two of the dead were killed in Itahari in eastern Nepal. More than 28 police officers were also injured. Protesters used motorcycles to ferry the wounded to hospitals.

The unrest followed the government’s move to block Facebook and other platforms, saying companies had failed to register with authorities and were being misused for hate speech, fake accounts, and fraud. But with 90% of Nepal’s 30 million people online, critics say the ban has disproportionately angered the young.

Chanting slogans like “Shut down corruption, not social media” and “Youths against corruption,” protesters described the movement as a “Gen Z demonstration.” Human Rights Watch urged authorities to avoid excessive force, saying the mass protests reflect “deep frustrations with entrenched corruption, nepotism, and poor governance.”

The violence prompted Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak to resign, taking “moral responsibility.” Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli convened an emergency cabinet meeting as the army was deployed around parliament.

Demonstrations also spread to Biratnagar, Bharatpur, and Pokhara. Although tensions eased by evening, protesters continued to gather outside parliament.

Nepal has struggled with political instability since abolishing its monarchy in 2008, with 14 governments in just 17 years, none serving a full five-year term. Critics accuse the Oli government of failing to deliver on anti-corruption promises or generate jobs, pushing thousands of young Nepalis to seek opportunities abroad.

The social media ban comes amid global debates over tighter regulation of Big Tech. While regulators argue stricter oversight is needed to curb misinformation and fraud, rights groups warn that such bans risk stifling free expression.

Authorities have urged residents to maintain peace and stressed that law and order will be strictly maintained

With inputs from Reuters