Staff members from Bhat-Bhateni Supermarket work to clear debris from the ransacked building that was torched following the protest in Kathmandu, Nepal, on September 14, 2025.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Authorities in Nepal have raised the death toll from last week’s unrest to 72 as search teams recover bodies from government offices, houses and other buildings set on fire during the anti-corruption protests, the Health Ministry said on Sunday (September 14, 2025).
In the deadliest outbreak of political violence in Nepal for decades, mainly young Nepalis took to the streets of the capital and other cities early last week, prompting Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to resign on Tuesday (September 19, 2025).
Security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the protesters, some of whom torched state buildings, including the Supreme Court, parliament, police posts, politicians’ homes and private businesses.
“Bodies of many people who died in shopping malls, houses and other buildings that were set on fire or attacked are now being discovered,” Health Ministry spokesperson Prakash Budathoki said.
The Ministry’s previous death toll was 51, updated as of Saturday (September 13, 2025). The latest data showed on Sunday (September 14, 2025) that at least 2,113 people had been injured in the violence.
Former Chief Justice Sushila Karki has replaced Mr. Oli as interim Prime Minister, becoming the first woman to lead Nepal, and is tasked with holding a new parliamentary election called for March 5.
Ms. Karki, who formally took office on Sunday (September 14, 2025), said the government would pay compensation of 1 million rupees (about $7,100) to the families of those killed in the unrest and provide free treatment to the injured.
She began work in a building close to the Prime Minister’s office, which was set on fire during the protests.
“We must now engage in rebuilding the destroyed structures,” Ms. Karki told senior government officials, state television reported.
Published – September 15, 2025 03:09 am IST