KATHMANDU, Sept 14: Nepal is slowly returning to normalcy after a week-long anti-corruption protest that left 51 people dead and caused widespread destruction, including the burning of major administrative complexes, the Parliament, and the Supreme Court. The unrest toppled a two-thirds majority government earlier this week.
By the sixth day, signs of recovery were visible. With the curfew eased, an interim prime minister sworn in, and hundreds of youths who had faced live bullets now volunteering to clean the streets, daily life is resuming. Public transport is operating, markets have reopened, and citizens are moving freely across the country.
The Nepali Army has scaled back its street presence, replaced largely by the Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force. The appointment of former Chief Justice Sushila Karki as interim Prime Minister, along with the dissolution of Parliament, has brought a sense of change, though major political parties continue to voice dissent.
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Elections are scheduled for March 5, 2026, and congratulatory messages have poured in from neighboring governments, including India and Bangladesh. Meanwhile, the interim government has begun restoration efforts, relocating the Prime Minister’s Office and visiting the injured. All government agencies have been instructed to resume regular operations.
Security forces have also regained control of weapons seized by protesters. A total of 268 firearms captured during the protests have been returned to the Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, and Nepali Army within three days. Youths and local leaders have helped clean and rebuild damaged police stations across the Kathmandu Valley, signaling the return of policing duties to security agencies rather than the military.
Thousands of inmates who escaped during the protests have begun returning following stern notices from the Prison Management Department and security forces. Notorious convicted murderer Sanjay Shah, alias Takla, was re-arrested, while gold smuggler Chudamani Upreti, alias Gore, surrendered. Rastriya Swatantra Party Chairman Rabi Lamichhane, who had falsely claimed release through a counterfeit letter, also returned to prison amid public criticism.
Young activists continue to use platforms like Discord to debate leadership choices and discuss plans for interim government appointments. At the same time, citizens are returning looted goods, including items taken from commercial complexes such as Bhatbhateni Super Store. Security agencies have urged the public to share videos and photos of those involved in vandalism and arson, emphasizing that such acts run counter to the spirit of the Gen Z protest.
