Fresh unrest gripped Nepal’s Bara district on Thursday as protesters clashed with security forces for the second day, defying a daytime curfew and intensifying pressure on authorities. Demonstrators began assembling at Simara Chowk from 11 am, hours before the administration enforced a 1 pm to 8 pm curfew to prevent further violence. But the order failed almost immediately, with crowds surging into the streets and confronting police.
According to Khabarhub quoted by PTI, officers fired six tear gas shells and two rounds of aerial fire after protesters advanced despite repeated warnings. Stone pelting left six police personnel injured, while four Gen-Z protesters were also hurt. Tensions escalated further when demonstrators set fire to the police beat in Simara Bazaar and torched items taken from the UML office, accusing police of shielding party cadres involved in Wednesday’s clashes.
The violence first erupted a day earlier, after news spread that CPN-UML general secretary Shankar Pokharel and youth leader Mahesh Basnet were flying into Simara to address an anti-government rally. Gen-Z groups gathered at the airport to oppose their arrival, sparking a confrontation with local UML members and forcing the party to cancel the event.
Police have since arrested two UML ward chairpersons — Dhan Bahadur Shrestha and Kaimoddin Ansari — for allegedly assaulting Gen-Z youths during Wednesday’s violence.