Nepal protest: Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak quits as death toll in violent Gen-Z rebellion rises to 19

Nepal Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned on Monday as protests over social media ban in the country have led to 19 deaths. The protests by youths have spread across the country, and curfew has been imposed in various cities, including Kathmandu.

According to reports, Lekhak took moral responsibility for the deaths in the clashes and offered to resign during a meeting of Nepali Congress office bearers. The resignation comes amid growing demand from protesters and opposition, holding him responsible for the deaths. 

Violent clashes erupted between protesters and police as the latter fired rubber bullets and aerial shots to control young protesters gathered outside the Federal Parliament in Nepal. Youngsters in Nepal took to the streets on Monday, demanding the withdrawal of the recent ban on over 20 social media platforms in the country.  

Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli called an emergency cabinet to discuss the violent clashes. The protesters carried flags and placards with slogans such as "Shut down corruption and not social media." 

According to Kathmandu Post, close to 350 people are undergoing treatment at various hospitals in Nepal, and at least a dozen are in critical condition. 

Thousands of youth protesters took to the streets to oppose corruption and the bans on social media apps. The protests, initially announced as peaceful, turned violent after they pushed through and damaged the barricades set up by the police. Some protesters even managed to enter the parliament building premises in New Baneshwar.

The Nepal government recently banned close to 26 social media platforms in the country, including Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and YouTube, citing their lack of compliance with regional regulations.