Kathmandu. Protesters set fire to the homes of some of Nepal’s top political leaders as unrest over a short-lived social media ban spilled into a second day, despite the government lifting the restriction early Tuesday.

Local media and videos shared online showed demonstrators attacking residences in and around Kathmandu. Authorities imposed a curfew in the capital and several other cities, while schools in Kathmandu were ordered shut.

Among the homes torched were those of Sher Bahadur Deuba, leader of the largest party Nepali Congress; President Ram Chandra Poudel; Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak; and Pushpa Kamal Dahal, leader of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist). A private school owned by Deuba’s wife, Foreign Minister Arzu Deuba Rana, was also set ablaze.

The violence followed mass demonstrations Monday against a ban on social media platforms, which protesters said reflected broader anger at political leaders accused of corruption and mismanagement. Crowds surrounded Parliament before police opened fire, killing 19 people.

“I am here to protest the massive corruption in our country,” said Bishnu Thapa Chetri, a student. “For us youths, there is no reason to stay back in the country.”

Others echoed the sentiment, demanding both justice and the resignation of Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli. “We are here to protest because our youths and friends are getting killed,” said protester Narayan Acharya. “K.P. Oli should be chased away.”

Despite the indefinite curfew, demonstrations continued Tuesday, with protesters chanting: “Punish the murderers in government. Stop killing children.” Police urged crowds via loudspeakers to disperse.

Hospitals in Kathmandu reported treating scores of wounded protesters, many with gunshot injuries to the head and chest. “Many of them are in serious condition,” said Dr. Badri Risa of the National Trauma Center, where seven of the dead were received. Families waited anxiously for news, while residents lined up to donate blood.

In a statement, Oli said he was forming an investigating committee to report back within 15 days. He also pledged compensation for victims’ families and free treatment for the injured. Home Minister Lekhak resigned late Monday at an emergency Cabinet meeting.

The unrest comes as Nepal moves forward with a contentious bill to regulate social media, which would require companies to register and appoint local representatives. Critics say the measure is a thinly veiled attempt at censorship.

Last week, about two dozen platforms were ordered to comply. Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, and X had not registered and were blocked before the ban was lifted. TikTok, Viber, and three others complied and remained online.

Nepal previously banned TikTok in 2023 for “disrupting social harmony,” but the restriction was lifted a year later after the company agreed to abide by local laws, including a prohibition on pornography.

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