Key Highlights:
- Former Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli denied ordering police to fire on protesters, claiming “infiltrators” incited violence that killed 73 people
- Nepal’s Ministry of Health confirmed 74 total deaths including 61 protesters, with over 2,113 injured during September protests
- Interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki announced 1.5 million Nepali rupees compensation per victim family and declared protesters as martyrs
Former Leader Breaks Silence After Deadly K.P. Sharma Oli Nepal Protests
Former Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli broke his week-long silence on Friday, September 19, denying that his government ordered police to open fire on protesters during the devastating Gen Z-led demonstrations that swept across Nepal. The 73-year-old leader, who had been under military protection since his resignation on September 10, claimed that “infiltrators” were responsible for the violence that resulted in at least 74 deaths according to official figures.
Speaking on Nepal’s Constitution Day, K.P. Sharma Oli Nepal protests statements included assertions that his administration “did not issue orders to target the protesters and fire shots,” while calling for a comprehensive investigation into the incidents that led to his government’s downfall. The former Prime Minister’s first public statement since stepping down came as Nepal continues to grapple with the aftermath of its worst civil unrest in decades, which began with protests against a social media ban but escalated into a broader anti-corruption movement.
They shot kids, protestors..fired hundreds of tear gas and even blocked ambulances. A peaceful “Gen-Z”protest was hijacked by outsiders with agendas. Years of corruption by Oli, Deuba & Prachanda brought us here. This government must resign, Nepal and nepalese deserves justice. pic.twitter.com/uZOcBWGa64
— BRS (@daarlagyomylord) September 8, 2025
Devastating Casualties and Government Response During K.P. Sharma Oli Nepal Protests
Nepal’s Ministry of Health and Population has confirmed the K.P. Sharma Oli Nepal protests resulted in 74 total deaths, including 61 protesters and bystanders, 3 police officers, and 10 prisoners who died during jail breaks that occurred amid the chaos. The official casualty figures, compiled from hospitals across the country, show that over 2,113 people were injured during the September 8-9 demonstrations, with 1,379 individuals treated and released while 284 remained hospitalized as of mid-September.
Dr. Bikas Devkota, Secretary at the Ministry of Health, reported that 30 individuals died from gunshot wounds while 21 others succumbed to burns and other injuries sustained during the violent clashes during the K.P. Sharma Oli Nepal protests. The ministry’s data, continuously revised as search teams recovered bodies from burned government buildings and shopping centers, represents Nepal’s deadliest civil unrest since the country’s transition to democracy. Health officials distributed injured protesters across 52 hospitals nationwide, with major facilities in Kathmandu including Civil Service Hospital treating 23 patients, Trauma Centre handling 32 cases, and Teaching Hospital caring for 25 individuals during the height of the K.P. Sharma Oli Nepal protests violence.
Social Media Ban Triggers Widespread Unrest Against K.P. Sharma Oli Nepal Protests Government
The catastrophic K.P. Sharma Oli Nepal protests began on September 8, 2025, following the government’s September 4 ban on 26 social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter). Nepal’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology implemented the ban after platforms failed to meet registration requirements within a seven-day deadline, citing concerns about fake accounts, hate speech, misinformation, and cybercrime as primary justifications.
The social media restrictions, rooted in a Supreme Court directive from August 25, 2025, were part of Nepal’s controversial Social Media Bill that required platforms to establish local offices and store user data within the country. Young Nepalis, comprising 20.8% of the population in the 16-25 age group, coordinated K.P. Sharma Oli Nepal protests through TikTok, one of the few platforms still accessible, organizing demonstrations with placards reading “Shut down corruption, not social media.” The government lifted the social media ban on September 9, but by then the K.P. Sharma Oli Nepal protests had evolved into a massive anti-corruption movement targeting Nepal’s entrenched political elite and economic mismanagement.
Historic Transition to Female Leadership After K.P. Sharma Oli Nepal Protests
Nepal appointed former Supreme Court Chief Justice Sushila Karki as interim Prime Minister on September 12, making her the country’s first woman to lead the Himalayan nation at age 73, following the conclusion of the violent K.P. Sharma Oli Nepal protests. President Ram Chandra Paudel administered the oath to Karki at the Presidential Palace following intensive negotiations with protest leaders who demanded an interim government free from existing corrupt political leaders involved in the K.P. Sharma Oli Nepal protests controversy.
The interim government, established after the dissolution of Nepal’s second federal parliament on September 12, has been tasked with organizing general elections by March 2026 while implementing reforms demanded by the Gen Z protesters during the K.P. Sharma Oli Nepal protests. Karki, widely praised for her integrity during her tenure as Chief Justice, announced that victims of the September K.P. Sharma Oli Nepal protests would be officially recognized as martyrs and that their families would receive comprehensive compensation packages. Her administration has committed to functioning strictly within a six-month mandate while addressing demonstrators’ core demands for corruption-free governance and economic equality that emerged during the K.P. Sharma Oli Nepal protests period.
Investigation and Accountability Measures Following K.P. Sharma Oli Nepal Protests
The new government under Prime Minister Karki has announced the establishment of a high-level judicial inquiry commission to investigate all incidents during the K.P. Sharma Oli Nepal protests, marking the first comprehensive effort to understand the sequence of events that led to the government’s collapse. Families of protest victims initially refused to accept bodies until their demands were met, forming a struggle committee that successfully negotiated for martyr status, state honors during funerals, and pension entitlements at secretary level for bereaved families affected by the K.P. Sharma Oli Nepal protests violence.
The government has pledged 1.5 million Nepali rupees (approximately $11,330) per victim family, distributed through District Administration Offices, along with plans to construct a Gen Z Awareness Park commemorating those killed in the K.P. Sharma Oli Nepal protests demonstrations. Nepal observed a nationwide day of mourning on September 17, 2025, with public offices closed and national flags flown at half-mast to honor the 74 individuals who died during the unprecedented civil unrest of the K.P. Sharma Oli Nepal protests. The interim administration’s investigation aims to provide accountability for the violent crackdown while addressing systemic issues of corruption and governance that sparked the massive youth-led uprising against Nepal’s political establishment during the historic K.P. Sharma Oli Nepal protests movement.
