• Source:JND
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The ongoing Gen Z protests in Nepal against the government’s controversial ban on social media platforms have escalated into unprecedented violence, with demonstrators directly targeting the country’s top political leaders. On Tuesday, dozens of protestors stormed the private residence of President Ram Chandra Poudel in Kathmandu.

Viral videos circulating on social media show demonstrators inside the President’s house, vandalising property and damaging his portraits before setting the residence on fire. The breach marked one of the most direct attacks on Nepal’s political establishment since the unrest began.

PM Oli And Ministers’ Homes Attacked

The chaos did not stop at the President’s residence. Protestors also torched Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s home in Bhaktapur, even as Oli had already resigned following mounting pressure and violent clashes. Former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak’s house in Naikap, Kathmandu, was also set ablaze. Lekhak resigned on Monday after police opened fire with tear gas and rubber bullets on crowds attempting to storm parliament, a crackdown that left at least 19 people dead and more than 300 injured.

ALSO READ: Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli Resigns After 19 Killed In Violent Gen Z Protests | What Led To His Ouster?

Videos also showed agitators attacking other senior leaders’ homes. The residence of Communication Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung was set on fire, while demonstrators pelted stones at the home of Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel. Former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s house was also targeted in the unrest.

Protestors expanded their attacks to Nepal’s institutions of governance. The historic Parliament building in Baneshwar was torched, with flames engulfing parts of the complex. Protesters also vandalised government offices across Kathmandu, signalling widespread anger against the political class.

ALSO READ: KP Sharma Oli’s Political Journey:  A Look Back At Nepal PM's Controversies That Led To His Ouster

Jailbreaks In Pokhara And Kathmandu

Amid the unrest, chaos erupted in prisons as demonstrators turned their attention to jails. In Pokhara, protesters forced police to retreat, allowing around 900 inmates to escape unhindered. In Kathmandu’s Nakhu Jail, parts of the facility were set on fire, and all prisoners present were reportedly freed. Among them was former Deputy Prime Minister and Rastriya Swatantra Party chairperson Rabi Lamichhane, who was escorted home by his supporters.