Houses of Nepal PM Oli, other top leaders torched as unrest escalates

Kathmandu, Sep 9 (IANS) As the demonstrations continued for the second day in Nepal on Tuesday, protestors torched and vandalised the houses of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, former Prime Ministers Sher Bahadur Deuba, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, and several other ministers. 

The party headquarters of the ruling Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) or CPN (UML) and Nepali Congress in the Kathmandu Valley were also defaced and set on fire.

Torching and vandalism in the government offices in many parts of the country have also been reported by the local media.

According to local media, similar cases of vandalism and torching were also reported in several government offices of the nation.

The authorities said that the situation in Kathmandu has remained tense as protests intensified in several parts of the valley despite the curfew imposed by the local administrations.

Enraged by the deaths of 19 people in police firing during the Gen Z protests on Monday, the country is seeing widespread demonstrations against the government led by Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli.

Fractures appear to have surfaced in the ruling coalition following the loss of lives in the protest, as at least four ministers have already resigned from their positions.

After the Home Minister and Agriculture Minister, Minister for Health and Population Pradip Poudel and Minister for Youth and Sports Teju Lal Chaudhary have announced their resignation from their respective positions, expressing regret over the use of force against the Gen Z protestors.

Videos are circulating about the torching of Prime Minister Oli's house at Balakot in Kathmandu's Bhaktapur. The protestors have also forcefully entered the Singh Durbar, the main administrative centre of the government, according to the reports.

Chief District Officer at the Lalitpur District Administration Office, Suman Ghimire, said that the protestors torched the residence of former Prime Minister Dahal, and they were gathering before residences allocated for government ministers.

"The situation is tense as protests have erupted in different parts of the district," he said.

Likewise, Bhaktapur district Chief District Officer Namaraj Ghimire said the situation has remained tense in the district.

"We have exercised maximum restraint and have not ordered to shoot at protestors," he said.

The local media also reported the torching of the houses of former Prime Minister Deuba, President Ram Chandra Poudel's house, and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak.

A video of a helicopter carrying the ministers from their official residence has also surfaced on social media. There are also reports suggesting that Prime Minister Oli is departing for the United Arab Emirates for medical treatment.

The IANS has not verified this information.

Due to ongoing protests near the airport that pose a risk to aeroplanes, Nepal has closed Tribhuvan International Airport, according to local media reports.

--IANS

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