‘Gen Z’ protesters arrested in Nepal for demanding ousted PM Oli’s arrest

Kathmandu, Oct 9 (PTI) Nepal Police on Thursday arrested 18 activists belonging to the ‘Gen Z’ group, including Dr Nicholous Bhusal, who were protesting at Maitighar here demanding the arrest of deposed prime minister K P Sharma Oli and then home minister Ramesh Lekhak.

The protest by a faction of the Gen Z group marked the first month of the protests against corruption and a government ban on social media sites.

Thousands of youths under the banner of Gen Z group staged anti-government protests in Kathmandu on September 8 and 9 in which 76 people were killed.

Bhusal and fellow demonstrator Surendra Gharti were taken into custody as they staged protests amidst tight security by riot policemen. Authorities had tightened security in and around Maitighar ahead of the protests.

The protesters said they staged the demonstration because the government had failed to meet the Gen Z’s demands despite the formation of the caretaker government led by Sushila Karki.

Their major demands were the arrests of Oli and Lekhak, whom they held responsible for the mass killing.

The government has formed a three-member probe commission headed by former justice Gauri Bahadur Karki to investigate into the excessive use of force to crush the Gen Z movement.

Separately, dozens of youths gathered in front of the Parliament building on Thursday at Naya Baneshwor area of Kathmandu and lit candles in memory of those who died during the Gen Z protests.

Relatives of those killed in the Gen Z movement and the Gen Z youths participated in the candle light demonstration.

Nineteen protesters were killed during the police firing on September 8, the first day of the Gen Z protests. In total, 76 people were killed during the two-day protests on September 8 and 9.

The security personnel indiscriminately opened fire on the youths who staged protests on September 8, demanding an end to corruption and lifting a government ban on social media.

On the second day, more violent protests were witnessed in which more people died and many important government offices were set on fire, leading to the ouster of the Oli government.

The caretaker government led by former chief justice Karki replaced Oli on September 12 and President Ramchandra Paudel dissolved the Parliament and announced fresh election of the House of Representatives on March 5 next year. PTI SBP GSP GSP