Fri Mar 28 15:17:50 UTC 2025: ## Two Dead in Nepal as Police Clash with Pro-Monarchy Protestors
**Kathmandu, Nepal** – At least two people, a protester and a journalist, were killed Friday during clashes between riot police and thousands of pro-monarchy demonstrators in Kathmandu. Police used tear gas, water cannons, and rattan sticks to disperse the crowd, which had attempted to breach a security barricade and march towards the parliament building.
The violence erupted when protestors, some carrying the Nepali national flag and throwing stones, tried to force their way into a restricted area. Police responded by firing into the air and subsequently imposing a curfew in the affected zone until 10 PM (1615 GMT), although the curfew could be extended. Authorities stated that the forceful response was necessary to prevent the protesters from entering the banned area.
A police spokesman, Dinesh Kumar Acharya, confirmed the deaths, adding that 17 others were injured, including three police officers. Three protesters are currently in police custody. Avenues TV reported that one of their journalists died after a house he was in was set ablaze by protestors. Police also reported that protesters damaged private property, including a house, a vehicle, a hospital, a political party office, a media house, and a shopping mall.
A separate anti-monarchy rally in Kathmandu passed peacefully. The clashes highlight ongoing political instability in Nepal, which has seen 14 governments formed since the abolition of the 239-year-old monarchy in 2008. This instability has hampered economic growth, driving many young Nepalese to seek work abroad. Public frustration over economic stagnation and unfulfilled government promises continues to rise.
First Piper 