Kathmandu, Sep 09 (V7N) – Anti-government youth protests in Nepal intensified on the second day, with demonstrators pelting stones and setting fire to the residences of political leaders in Kathmandu and surrounding areas.

The house of Communications and Information Technology Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung in Lalitpur was set on fire. Protesters also attacked the residences of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel, and the former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, who resigned on Monday. The Central Bank Governor Biswa Paudel’s residence was also targeted. Protesters reached the home of former Prime Minister and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba but were stopped before any damage occurred. Residences of opposition leaders, including CPN (Maoist) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, were also attacked.

According to The Kathmandu Post, protesters have increasingly targeted the homes of key officials across the country, fueled by anger over casualties in clashes with security forces.

Meanwhile, the Nepalese government has lifted the ban on several social media apps that had sparked the protests. Cabinet spokesman and ICT Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung confirmed that the government lifted the restrictions last week. The ban had triggered mass demonstrations in Kathmandu, leading to 19 deaths and more than 400 injuries on Monday during clashes between the “Gen-G” generation protesters and security forces.

The protests were initially sparked by opposition to the social media ban and accusations of widespread government corruption. Gurung stated that with the ban lifted, normal access to social media platforms is now being restored.

END/SMA/AJ