KATHMANDU – Nepal has initiated investigations into the deadly violence that erupted during pro-monarchy protests, a district official confirmed on Saturday. The unrest resulted in two fatalities and over 100 arrests. According to police reports, a protester was fatally shot on Friday as thousands gathered in Kathmandu demanding the restoration of the monarchy. Security forces used live ammunition and tear gas to disperse the crowd.
A journalist was also killed when protesters set fire to the building he was filming from. Several buildings and vehicles were vandalized, including offices of political parties and media outlets, the Kathmandu Valley police station reported. Kathmandu chief district officer Rishi Ram Tiwari told Voice Asia News that 105 individuals had been taken into custody. “We are investigating, examining the evidence, and bringing them within the legal framework,” Tiwari stated.
Nepal transitioned to a federal and republican political system in 2008 after parliament abolished the monarchy as part of a peace deal ending a decade-long civil war that claimed over 16,000 lives. However, support for restoring the monarchy and reinstating Hinduism as the state religion has grown due to dissatisfaction over political instability, corruption, and sluggish economic development.
On Friday morning, thousands of demonstrators gathered near parliament, chanting that the king and country were “dearer to us than life.” The peaceful protest soon escalated into violence.
“Violent activities, instead of following the democratic tradition of peacefully expressing ideas, do not benefit anyone,” the home ministry said in a statement on Friday.
Former king Gyanendra Shah, 77, had largely refrained from commenting on Nepal’s politics but recently made several public appearances with supporters. Shah ascended to the throne in 2001 after the palace massacre that claimed the lives of King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah and most of the royal family.
During his reign, Shah suspended the constitution and dissolved parliament in 2005, triggering a democratic uprising. The Maoists joined forces with Nepal’s political establishment to organize massive street protests, leading to the conflict’s end. In 2008, parliament voted to abolish the 240-year-old Hindu monarchy, marking a significant shift in Nepal’s political landscape.