Nepal’s Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigns after Gen-Z protests leave 19 dead, over 100 injured

Nepal’s Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has resigned from his post, taking moral responsibility for the deaths of 19 people during Monday September 8 violent Gen-Z protests. Lekhak submitted his resignation to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli during a cabinet meeting on Monday evening, a senior minister confirmed.

The protests, triggered by the government’s decision to restrict social media platforms and fueled by anger over governance failures and economic inequality, spiraled into deadly confrontations across the country.

Earlier in the day, Lekhak had informed Congress party members of his decision to step down, describing the loss of lives as “unimaginable.” He said it would be “unethical” to continue in office amid such a tragedy, especially as public criticism mounted over the government’s handling of the crisis.

Meanwhile, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has escalated political pressure on the government, demanding Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s resignation and calling for fresh national elections. In a statement, RSP General Secretary Kabindra Burlakoti condemned the administration’s “brutal crackdown” on Gen-Z protesters, arguing that the government has lost its “moral and political legitimacy.”

According to the Ministry of Health and Population, 19 protesters have been confirmed dead—16 of them in Kathmandu alone—while 347 others are undergoing treatment in hospitals nationwide. Violence erupted in several cities, with protesters torching tyres to block the East-West Highway and pelting stones at Prime Minister Oli’s private residence in Damak. Police responded with warning shots and, in some cases, live ammunition, further escalating casualties.

Authorities have imposed curfews in Butwal, Bhairahawa, and Itahari as unrest spreads to multiple districts.

As the crisis deepens, the cabinet convened an emergency meeting at the Prime Minister’s residence in Baluwatar late on Monday, amid growing calls for accountability and fears of wider instability