Chaos engulfs Nepal as deadly Gen-Z-led protests force Prime Minister Oli to resign and flee, leaving tragedy, political collapse, and an unlikely new leader, a rapper-turned-mayor.
Nepal’s Government Collapses Amid Deadly Gen-Z Protests
Rabi Lakshmi Chitrakar Hatmi, wife of former Nepali Prime Minister Jalnath Khanal, tragically died after protesters set fire to her house in Dallu. Despite being admitted to Kirtipur Burns Hospital, she could not survive. Family members claimed that protesters forced her into the house before setting it ablaze, marking one of the darkest moments of Nepal’s ongoing unrest.
The violent uprising, driven by young demonstrators angered by corruption and a controversial social media ban, has already claimed 22 lives and left over 300 injured. Major government buildings, including the central administrative complex Sinha Durbar and the presidential residence Sithal Niwas, were set on fire. The residences of President Ram Chandra Poudel, Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, and former leaders Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and Sher Bahadur Dyuba also came under attack. Reports suggest Dyuba and his wife, Foreign Minister Arsu Rana Dyuba, were assaulted during the chaos.
As violence escalated, Prime Minister Oli tendered his resignation, saying he stepped down “to facilitate a resolution to the issue and help resolve it politically.” His aide confirmed that Oli fled Kathmandu in a military helicopter after seeking support from Nepal’s Army Chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel, who advised him that stability could only be restored if he resigned.
The political vacuum has fueled speculation online, with Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah — better known as Balan — emerging as a popular candidate for leadership. The 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician, who became Kathmandu’s first independent mayor in 2022, has built his reputation as a civil engineer and outspoken critic of corruption through his music. Shah studied in India and used his career in hip-hop to highlight social inequality before entering politics.
In a Facebook post, Shah urged protesters to show restraint, reminding them that the resignation of Oli and his ministers had already been secured. “The loss of the country’s wealth is, in reality, the loss of our own property. It is now imperative that we all exercise restraint,” he wrote.
For now, Nepal stands at a crossroads: a nation in turmoil, a government in ashes, and a new generation demanding justice and change under an unlikely new face of leadership.
