In brief
Pro-monarchist protests in Nepal escalate into violence, leading to fatalities and widespread injuries as demonstrators clash with police during calls to restore the monarchy.
At least two people lost their lives and many others were injured in Nepal on Friday as protests erupted in favor of restoring the monarchy. Supporters of Gyanendra Shah, the final king before the monarchy was abolished in 2008, demanded a return to a constitutional monarchy combined with parliamentary democracy. According to Dinesh Kumar Acharya, a spokesperson for the Nepali police, one protester died from bullet wounds, while a television journalist was killed when protesters set a building on fire where he was recording.The confrontations resulted in injuries to approximately 30 civilians and 40 police officers, prompting the government to impose a curfew in large areas of the capital, Kathmandu, and call in military support to help manage the situation. The turmoil follows a resurgence of pro-monarchist protests criticizing the current political establishment, including Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli’s administration, which they accuse of corruption and mismanagement.
