News Brief

Protest Demanding Restoration Of Hindu Kingdom In Nepal Turns Violent In Kathmandu; Security Personnel, Protesters Injured

Kuldeep Negi

Mar 28, 2025, 03:52 PM | Updated 03:52 PM IST


Pic Via X
Pic Via X

A protest demanding the calling for the restoration of the Hindu kingdom in Nepal turned violent in Kathmandu's Tinkune, leaving multiple security personnel and demonstrators injured.

The protest marked a sharp escalation in ongoing political unrest in Nepal.

Several members of the Nepal police and Armed police force, and some protesters were injured during the clash between the demonstrators and the security personnel.

Some of the injured are receiving treatment at Kantipur Hospital in Tinkune, The Kathmandu Post reported.

Violence broke out after pro-monarchy protesters tried to push past police barricades and began pelting stones.

Security forces responded with tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Earlier in the day, a roadside building in Tinkune was vandalised and set ablaze.

According to local media reports, despite being announced as a peaceful rally, the protest turned violent, with demonstrators smashing windows of building along roadside.

Tensions spiked when protesters breached the security perimeter. Police responded forcefully, triggering a chaotic exchange in the streets.

The protest was reportedly led by the Nawaraj Subedi-led joint movement committee, with local businessman Durga Prasai mobilising supporters.

The Rajendra Lingden-led pro-monarchy Rastriya Prajatantra Party also expressed support for the demonstration.

The violent clash at Tinkune on Friday is the latest flashpoint in a growing wave of royalist resurgence sweeping Nepal.

In recent months, support for former King Gyanendra has surged across the country, driven by widespread public disillusionment with the current political system.

Massive crowds have turned out to greet the ex-monarch during his tours, particularly during his return to Kathmandu on 9 March, where tens of thousands lined the streets in a show of support.

The growing appeal of the monarchy is rooted in a perception that the post-2008 republican framework has failed to deliver stability, good governance, or economic progress.

This momentum has rattled Nepal’s major political parties—especially the communists—who now find themselves on the defensive.

Public frustration over corruption, political infighting, and institutional decay has driven many to call for a return to a constitutional monarchy and the re-establishment of Nepal as a Hindu state.

Royalist groups like the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) and RPP-Nepal have capitalised on this mood, mobilising large rallies nationwide.

The former king’s Democracy Day address in February, in which he criticised the current system and lamented the erasure of Nepal’s cultural identity, further galvanized support.

His outreach has even extended across the border, with his visit to Uttar Pradesh and meeting with Yogi Adityanath drawing both praise and scrutiny.

Also Read: Sagarmala Project: 119 Projects Worth Rs 9,406 Crore Undertaken By Ministry Of Ports, Shipping And Waterways Across Coastal States And UTs

Kuldeep is Senior Editor (Newsroom) at Swarajya. He tweets at @kaydnegi.


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