Nepal Army deploys troops amid deadly protests: LIVE UPDATES

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk has voiced alarm at the escalating violence in Nepal, citing multiple deaths and hundreds of injuries among protesters, as well as widespread destruction of property and attacks on government officials.

“I plead with security forces to exercise utmost restraint and avoid further such bloodshed and harm,” Turk said, expressing concern over reports of disproportionate force by security personnel and calling for urgent, impartial investigations.

At the same time, he reminded demonstrators to uphold peaceful assembly, condemning attacks on public buildings, businesses, private homes, and government officials.

“I am disturbed by reports of public buildings, businesses, and private residences being attacked and, in some instances, set ablaze. Equally, I am concerned by reports of physical attacks on senior government officials,” he said.

The Nepali Army said it has arrested 26 people for looting and related crimes since Tuesday night as part of a special security strategy responding to the Gen Z protests. Five suspects were detained for looting a bank in New Baneshwor, while 21 others were taken into custody in connection with incidents in the Bouddha area of Kathmandu and Bhaktapur.

The Army said the arrests targeted groups that had hijacked peaceful demonstrations to commit arson, vandalism, and theft. It urged the public to remain vigilant, support security efforts, and avoid spreading misinformation on social media, stressing that community cooperation and verified information are crucial to restoring stability.

Nepal Army soldiers have been patrolling the streets overnight to secure key government sites, detaining individuals suspected of looting and vandalism, according to videos shared on social media.

FPV drone footage making the rounds online shows the Bhaisepati Ministerial Quarters in Lalitpur, Nepal, as protesters stormed government buildings and set them ablaze earlier on Tuesday.

President Ramchandra Paudel on Tuesday appealed for restraint and unity as protests spread across the capital, targeting government institutions and private residences. 

“I urge everyone, including the protesting citizens, to cooperate for a peaceful resolution of the country’s difficult situation,” Paudel said in a statement released earlier in the day.

“I appeal to all parties to exercise restraint, to not allow further damage to the country, and to come to talks,” the statement added. The president’s appeal came amid reports that rioters had set fire to his office, the parliament building, and several politicians’ homes.

Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu has been shut down indefinitely amid the ongoing protests across the capital and surrounding areas. Authorities cited repeated fire incidents in Gothatar and worsening aviation security conditions as reasons for the closure. The Nepal Army has been deployed to secure the airport premises.

According to reports, international departures were halted around 12:45pm after smoke was observed near Koteshwar, while domestic carriers, including Buddha Air, suspended services citing safety concerns. Airport officials confirmed that crew movements have also been disrupted as protestors blocked traffic routes to TIA. Earlier in the day, four flights from Delhi – two by IndiGo and two by Air India – landed in Kathmandu before operations were suspended.

Footage circulating online shows a massive blaze engulfing Nepal’s Singha Durbar Palace in central Kathmandu, the country’s main administrative complex, after violent protests swept the Himalayan nation’s capital. The palace, built in 1908, serves as the seat of Nepal’s government, hosting several ministries, and other key institutions.

Nepal Army Chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel has appealed to protesters to resolve their grievances through dialogue, as troops were deployed across the country to restore order.

“During the protest, extensive damage has been incurred. To prevent further loss of properties and to maintain peace, security, and harmony, national unity and harmony are our common duty,” Sigdel said in a recorded video message, as cited by ANI.

Sigdel expressed sorrow over the loss of life during the demonstrations, offering condolences to affected families and wishing recovery for the injured. He stressed that protecting citizens, public and private property, and national heritage was a shared duty, calling on Nepalis to uphold unity, patriotism, and social harmony.

The Nepal Army has announced that it will take charge of security operations starting 10pm, as violent protests swept through Kathmandu and other parts of the country, leaving parts of the capital on edge and prompting fears of further escalation.

The Directorate of Public Relations and Information said that “some groups are taking undue advantage of the difficult situation and causing severe damage to ordinary citizens and public property.”

It cautioned that all security mechanisms, including the army, would be fully mobilized if unrest continues, while appealing to citizens to cooperate and refrain from destructive acts.

READ MORE: ‘Color revolutions are turning into internet revolutions’: Russian experts on Nepal’s Generation Z uprising

RT has gathered expert views on Nepal’s unrest, with Russian political analysts, scholars, and regional specialists weighing in on the country’s structural flaws, the influence of Generation Z, and possible outside factors driving the crisis.

“What we’re seeing in Nepal is essentially a pressure cooker of social and economic contradictions that’s finally boiled over. That’s the underlying cause. The immediate trigger was the government’s decision to block social media. In that sense, I’d argue that we’re witnessing a transformation: what used to be called “color revolutions” are increasingly turning into internet revolutions,” Kirill Kotkov, an orientalist believes.

Read More views here.