Nepal protesters propose former chief justice for interim leader as death toll rises

Violent protests leave at least 31 people dead

A former chief justice appeared likely to take over as Nepal’s interim leader following days of violent protests that collapsed the government and left at least 31 people dead.

The Himalayan country erupted in violent protests over the weekend after the government abruptly banned 26 social media sites, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X, in what was seen as an attempt to silence criticism.

The protests were led by young Nepalis who were deeply frustrated over corruption, unemployment and what they regarded as an unaccountable political elite.

The agitation collapsed the government after prime minister KP Sharma Oli resigned, his rushed decision to lift the ban failing to bring order.

On Thursday, as confusion continued over who was governing Nepal, former chief justice Sushila Karki, the first woman to hold the post in 2016, emerged as the frontrunner for interim leader, backed by many of the agitation’s leaders.

"When they requested me, I accepted," Ms Karki told Indian TV news channel CNN-News18.

An aerial view shows smoke billowing from the torched President House in Kathmandu on 10 September 2025 (AFP via Getty)

Representatives of the protesters – overwhelmingly from Gen Z – said they had met the army leadership and proposed Ms Karki as their choice to head an interim government.

Some of the protesters, however, had reservations about the former judge’s candidacy as they attempted to reach a unanimous decision, the outlet reported.

The military took control after protesters set fires at the parliament, the presidential residence, the central secretariat that houses the offices of the prime minister and key ministries, and the prime minister's official residence. Smoke was still rising from those buildings on Wednesday.

The protesters also torched the office building of Kantipur, Nepal's biggest media outlet, as well as car showrooms, leaving burned-out vehicles dotting the streets.

Soldiers patrolled the relatively quiet streets of the capital Kathmandu on Thursday after days of violence, which also left nearly 1,033 people injured across the country. Residents rushed to stock up on food when the army briefly lifted a curfew.

Protesters gather outside the army headquarters during a curfew imposed to restore law and order in Kathmandu, Nepal (AFP via Getty)

Hundreds of people, including foreigners, crowded the main airport in Kathmandu, a day after it reopened and international flights resumed.

"It was a very difficult time for us. We had trouble just to get to the airport and back to hotel hoping for flights but finally I have found a seat and am going to be flying out of Nepal," Raj Kumar Bika, a chicken farmer travelling to India for business, told the Associated Press.

Meanwhile, Nepal police said over 15,000 prisoners had escaped from two dozen jails during the protests. While 1,455 of them had been re-arrested and sent back to jail, 12,852 remained on the run, spokesperson Vinod Ghimire said.