Curfew Lifted After Situation in Southern Nepal District Returns to Normal

PTI, KATHMANDU, NOVEMBER 21, 2025: Curfew was lifted and normalcy returned on Friday in parts of Bara district in southern Nepal, bordering India, which had been marred by violent clashes between Gen Z youths and members of the ousted Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli's party. Markets reopened, schools resumed classes, and transportation services restarted as daily activities picked up across the district.

“The situation in Bara has become normal now, and the curfew imposed for the past two days has been lifted on Friday,” said Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, Chief District Officer of Bara, in a statement to PTI.

Tension had erupted on Wednesday when three CPN-UML cadres allegedly beat Gen Z youths staging a peaceful protest at Simara Airport. At least 10 people were injured. The youths were protesting the planned visit of UML leaders Shanker Pokharel and Mahesh Basnet, accusing the party of being responsible for the September 8 crackdown in which 76 people were killed.

Buddha Airlines had cancelled its Kathmandu-Simara flight on Wednesday after the situation worsened and clashes broke out between the Gen Z protesters and UML supporters. The local administration subsequently imposed a curfew.

“We are holding talks with the agitating Gen Z youths, asking them to calm down,” Mishra said, adding that their main demand was action against the UML cadres accused of assaulting the protesters. Officials had earlier called the Gen Z group for talks on Thursday, but the group refused to engage until those named in their complaint were arrested.

Police have so far arrested three of the six individuals named in the complaint, including two elected ward chairs from the UML, Dhan Bahadur Shrestha and Kaimuddin Ansari, on Thursday. The Kathmandu Post quoted Deputy Superintendent of Police Bijayaraj Pandit, who confirmed that those arrested are being held at the District Police Office in Kalaiya.

The deposed Oli's CPN-UML has been organising protests across Nepal demanding the reinstatement of the House of Representatives, which was dissolved on September 12 following the Gen Z movement that toppled the Oli-led government. Oli had resigned on September 9 after the massive Gen Z protests. Gen Z activists have called for action over the alleged mass killing of protesters on September 9 during demonstrations against corruption and the then-proposed social media ban under the former Oli administration.