The presidential residence in Nepal burns due to arson by protestors. AP Yonhap News. 

A large-scale anti-government protest in Nepal, sparked by the government's ban on social media access, has resulted in 30 deaths.

According to Indian media outlets The Hindu and the Associated Press, among others, on the 11th (local time), Nepal's Ministry of Health and Population announced that at least 30 people died and over 1,000 were injured in recent protests across the country, including in the capital, Kathmandu.

Furthermore, Nepal Police stated that 13,572 inmates have escaped from prisons nationwide since the protests began on the 8th.

In one prison in Kathmandu, inmates overpowered guards, set fire to the building, and attempted to escape. Some were arrested by soldiers and transferred to other prisons.

Although the protests have somewhat subsided after the authorities deployed military personnel to the city center from 10 PM on the 9th, the curfew imposed on Kathmandu and nearby cities has been extended until the 12th.

During the day, movement is only permitted for essential purchases, and from 7 PM to the early morning of the next day, a complete curfew is in effect.

The military stated, "These measures are necessary to ensure safety amidst the ongoing unstable situation."

Armed soldiers patrolled key areas of Kathmandu, checking vehicles and pedestrians, and urging people to refrain from going out.

Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu is operational today, but no flights are actually operating, it is reported.

Representatives of the protestors met with military officials at the Army Headquarters in Kathmandu yesterday to discuss the election of a transitional leader.

However, opinions are divided among the protestors regarding who should lead the interim cabinet, the AP reported.

An inmate arrested while escaping in Kathmandu, Nepal. AP Yonhap News. 

One of the protest representatives proposed former Supreme Court Chief Justice Sushila Karki (73), but some protestors outside the Army Headquarters opposed this.

Karki, who served as Chief Justice for approximately one year starting in July 2016, was the first woman to hold the position and was popular at the time.

Young protestors prefer Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah (35), a former rapper, Reuters reported.

"Mayor Shah should be one of the 'Gen Z' representatives to meet with President Ram Chandra Poudel to explore the future direction," Balram, a former Supreme Court justice and constitutional expert, told Reuters.

Recent protests in Nepal began in response to the government's ban on 26 social media platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter), on the 5th.

The Nepali government cited the spread of fake news as the reason for blocking SNS not registered with authorities, while young people criticized it as an attempt to suppress the online anti-corruption movement.

In particular, as many young people, disappointed with the government's lack of action on corruption eradication and economic growth, joined the protests, they spread not only in Kathmandu but also to other cities.

Recently, videos contrasting the lavish lifestyles of children of the elite with those struggling to make ends meet have been rapidly shared on social media, fueling the anger of young people.

Police have been using tear gas, water cannons, and rubber bullets since the 8th, leading to an increase in casualties, and protests escalated with fires set at the presidential and prime ministerial residences.

Meanwhile, Russia's state news agency TASS reported, citing the Nepali online news portal 'Karabhub', that the wife of former Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal, who was reportedly killed in arson by protestors, is alive and in intensive care.

Karabhub had initially reported Khanal's wife's death on the 9th but issued a correction citing hospital officials.

A shopping center in Kathmandu devastated by arson by protestors. AP Yonhap News. 

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